Reward for memorizing Qur’aan

 

What is the reward for becoming a Haafiz?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Whoever memorizes Qur’aan and acts upon it,
Allaah will reward him and honour him greatly for that, so that he will rise in status in Paradise to a level commensurate with what he memorized
of the Book of Allaah.

Al-Tirmidhi (2914) and Abu Dawood (1464)
narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It will be said to the companion of
the Qur’aan: Recite and rise in status, recite as you used to recite in the world, for your status will be at the last verse that you recite.”
This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 5/218, no. 2240, after which he said: 

Note that what is meant by the “companion of
the Qur’aan” is the one who memorizes it by heart, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The one who knows more
Qur’aan should lead the people in prayer,” meaning the one who has memorized the most.  The differentiation in status in Paradise will depend on
how much was memorized in this world, not how much one will recite on that day as some people imagine. This clearly points to the virtue of the
hafiz who has memorized the Qur’aan, but that is subject to the condition that he memorizes it for the sake of Allaah, not for worldly purposes or
financial gain. Otherwise the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Most of the hypocrites of my ummah are among those
who have memorized Qur’aan.” 

Concerning the virtue of the hafiz who
memorizes the Qur’aan, al-Bukhaari (4937) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The
likeness of the one who reads Qur’aan and memorizes it is that he is with the righteous honourable scribes. The likeness of the one who reads it
and tries hard to memorize it even though it is difficult for him, he will have two rewards.” 

For the hafiz who has memorized the Qur’aan,
praying qiyaam al-layl is easy. And the Qur’aan will intercede for him on the Day of Resurrection, because the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fasting and the Qur’aan will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, ‘O Lord, I
deprived him of food and desires during the day, so let me intercede for him.’ The Qur’aan will say, ‘O Lord I deprived him of his sleep at night,
so let me intercede for him.’ Then they will both intercede for him.” Narrated by Ahmad, al-Tabaraani and al-Haakim; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 3882 

And Allaah knows best. 

It should be noted here that there is a weak
(da’eef) hadeeth that is quoted concerning the virtue of memorizing Qur’aan. This hadeeth says, “The bearer of the Qur’aan, if he regards what it permits as halaal and what it forbids as haraam, he will intercede for ten of his family members on the Day of Resurrection, all of whom deserved to enter Hell.” This was narrated by al-Bayhaqi in Shu’ab al-Eemaan (The Branches of Faith) from Jaabir; it was classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef al-Jaami’.

 

 

Is there any saheeh hadeeth about the virtues of Soorat Ta-Ha?

 

I would like to find out about the virtue of reading Soorat Ta-Ha, and the virtue of reading it every night three times in succession for a certain period. Thank you very much.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The following ahaadeeth about the virtues of Soorat Ta-Ha are
saheeh: 

-1-

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said concerning Bani Israa’il (al-Isra’), al-Kahf, Maryam,
Ta-Ha and al-Anbiya’: They are among the best of the earliest ones that I
learned by heart. 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4994). 

Al-Bayhaqi said in Shu’ab al-Eemaan:  

He was referring to the superiority of these soorahs because
of what they contain of stories of the Prophets (blessings and peace be upon
them) and the nations. 

And they were among the first soorahs to be revealed at the
beginning of Islam, because they are Makkan soorahs, and they were among the
first parts of the Qur'aan to be recited and memorized. End quote. 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari (8/388): 

What Ibn Mas’ood meant was that they were among the first
parts of the Qur’aan that he learned, and that they have a special virtue
because they contain stories of the Prophets and the nations. End quote. 

-2-

It was narrated from Abu Umaamah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “The greatest name of Allaah appears in three soorahs of the
Qur’aan: in al-Baqarah, Aal ‘Imraan and Ta-Ha.” 

Narrated by Ibn Majaah (3856) and al-Haakim (1/686); classed
as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (746). 

He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

With regard to the words of al-Qaasim ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan
(the one who narrated it from Abu Umaamah) that the greatest name is found
in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):  “And (all) faces shall be
humbled before (Allaah), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who
sustains and protects all that exists)” [Ta-Ha 20:111] in Soorat Ta-Ha,
I could not find anything to support it. It is more likely in my view that
it is in the verse at the beginning of the soorah:
“Verily, I am Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Ana (none has the right to be
worshipped but I)” [Ta-Ha 20:14], and that is in
accordance with some saheeh ahaadeeth. See: al-Fath (11/225) and
Saheeh Abi Dawood (1341). End quote. 

Secondly: 

Concerning the virtues of Soorat Ta-ha there are some da’eef
(weak) ahaadeeth, which I will quote here to draw attention to them and warn
people against them. 

-1-

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, recited Ta-Ha and
Ya-Seen one thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and
when the angels heard the Qur'aan they said: Glad tidings to the nation to
whom this is revealed, glad tidings to the hearts that carry this, glad
tidings to the tongues that speak it.” 

Narrated by al-Daarimi (2/547). The editor said: Its isnaad
is very weak. Ahmad said of ‘Umar ibn Hafs ibn Dhakwaan: We rejected his
hadeeth and regarded him as very weak. In al-Mu’jam al-Awsat (5/133)
it says: Ibn Hibbaan said in al-Majrooheen (1/208): This is a
fabricated text. Ibn al-Jawzi said likewise in al-Mawdoo’aat (1/110).
Ibn Katheer said in Tafseer al-Qur’aan il-Azeem (5/271): It is weird.
Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (1248): It is munkar. See
also al-Kaamil (1/216) and Lisaan al-Meezaan (1/114). 

-2-

It was narrated that Ma’qil ibn Yasaar (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said:

“Learn the Qur'aan, accept as permissible what it permits,
regard as forbidden what it forbids, follow its guidance and do not reject
anything in it. Whatever you are confused about in it, refer it to Allaah
and to those who are in authority after I am gone, so that they may tell
you. Believe in the Tawraat and Injeel and Zaboor, and what the Prophets
brought from their Lord, but be content with the Qur’aan and what it
contains of clarity, for it is an intercessor whose intercession will be
accepted. Each verse will have light on the Day of Resurrection. I have been
given Soorat al-Baqarah among the early Revelation, and I have been given
Ta-Ha and Ta-Seen-Meems and Ha-Meems from the tablets of Moosa and I have
been given the Opening of the Book (al-Faatihah) from beneath the Throne. 

Narrated by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (1/757) and he
said: This hadeeth has a saheeh isnaad although they (al-Bukhaari and
Mulsim) did not narrate it. Also narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam
al-Kabeer (20/225). Classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah
al-Da’eefah (2826) and by Ibn Hibbaan in al-Majrooheen (2/65). 

-3-

That the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to say in his du’aa’:

“O Lord of Ta-Ha and Yaa-Seen, O Lord of the Holy Qur’aan.” 

Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (5/173-174): 

There is no difference of opinion among the scholars that
this hadeeth is a lie against the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). End quote. 

-4-

“Whoever reads Ta-Ha will be given the reward of the
Muhaajireen and Ansaar on the Day of Resurrection.” 

This was quoted by al-Zamakhshari and al-Baydaawi with regard
to the virtues of Soorat Ta-Ha, but it is a fabricated hadeeth. 

See: al-Kashf al-Ilaahi by al-Tarabulsi (1/178). 

With regard to what you asked about the virtue of reading it
three times every night, I could not find that in the books of the Sunnah,
and I did not even find it in the books of mawdoo’ (fabricated) reports.
Nothing concerning that has been proven from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), so you should be careful and avoid that,
and strive to follow the saheeh Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), and shun that which is da’eef (weak) and
mawdoo’ (fabricated). 

And Allaah knows best.

 

“They are among the best and earliest and they are among the first I received”

 

What is the meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning al-Isra’, al-Kahf and Maryam, “They are among the best and earliest and they are among the first I received”?.

Praise be to Allaah.

These are not the words of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), rather they
are the words of the Sahaabi ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased
with him). Al-Bukhaari narrated in his Saheeh (4994) with his isnaad
from ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Yazeed who said: I heard Ibn Mas’ood say concerning
Bani Israa’eel, al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta-Ha and al-Anbiya’: “They are among the
best and earliest and they are among the first I received”. 

Perhaps the oldest
explanation that has come down to us is what was stated by Imam Abu ‘Ubayd
al-Qaasim ibn Salaam in his book Fadaa’il al-Qur’aan (hadeeth no.
385) where he says, after narrating it: 

The words “among the best
and earliest” mean: the earliest words I learned of the Qur’aan, and that is
because these soorahs were revealed in Makkah. End quote. 

The scholars quote this
report from Ibn Mas’ood as evidence that the order of the soorahs in the
Mus-haf of ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) is tawqeefi (i.e.,
fixed and not subject to ijtihaad) and is as it was at the time of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Al-Haafiz Ibn
Katheer says in Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-‘Azeem (1/49): al-Bukhaari is
the only one who narrated it, and what is meant is that the order of these
soorahs in the Mus-haf of Ibn Mas’ood is the same as that in the Mushafs of
‘Uthmaan. The words “among the best and earliest” mean that they were among
the first to be revealed, and the words “they are among the first I
received” mean among the first that I acquired and memorized. End quote. 

See: al-Burhaan fi
‘Uloom al-Qur’aan (1/257). 

The Standing Committee (al-Majmoo’ah
al-Thaaniyah, 3/128) was asked the following question: How sound is this
hadeeth: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
concerning Bani Israa’eel, al-Kahf, Maryam, Ta-Ha and al-Anbiya’: “They are
among the best and earliest and they are among the first I received”?  

They replied: The hadeeth
mentioned was narrated by al-Bukhaari in a mawqoof report going back to Ibn
Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), and it means that they were among
the first soorahs to be revealed. The phrase “they are among the first I
received” mean they were among the first that I memorized. End quote. 

See also the answer to
question no. 90186. 

And Allaah knows best.

Reward for reading the Qur’aan in translation

 

Asalamu-Alaikum,

This is in regards to Question 2237 'Reading Soorat
Yaa-Seen in congregation on Friday nights'. Actually I am referring to the hadeeth
you mentioned where The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever reads
one letter of the Book of Allaah will have one hasanah (reward) for doing so,
and every hasanah will be multiplied by 10. I do not say that ‘Alif, laam,
meem’ is one letter, but ‘Alif’ is a letter, ‘laam’ is
a letter and ‘meem’ is a letter.’”

I was wonderring if this hadith was also true if one is reading the Qur'an in
a different language (i.e. English Translation) in order to actually understand
what he is reading?

Thank You, Allahu-Akbar

Praise be to Allaah.

We ask Allaah to reward you for your keenness. In response to your
question, the reward mentioned in this hadeeth is only for the one who reads the
Qur’aan as it is in Arabic, not for the one who reads the interpretation of the
meanings in any other language. However, if a person reads a translation of the meanings
in order to understand the meaning and benefit from what the aayaat are saying, then he
will be rewarded for doing this, and his reward is with Allaah, because the Muslim will be
rewarded for reading tafseer (explanation and commentary), and a translation is tafseer.
But there is no indication that the person who reads a translation will earn the reward
mentioned in the hadeeth. The bounty of Allaah is immense. And Allaah knows best.

The Holy Qur’aan

 

What is the Qur’aan?

Praise be to
Allaah.

The
Qur’aan is the word of the Lord of the Worlds, which Allaah revealed
to His Messenger Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to bring mankind forth
from darkness into light: 

“It is He Who sends down manifest Ayaat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) to His
slave (Muhammad) that He may bring you out from darkness into light

[al-Hadeed
57:9 – interpretation of the meaning] 

Allaah
has told us in the Qur’aan the stories of the earlier and later generations
and the creation of the heavens and the earth. He has explained in detail
what is halaal and what is haraam, the basics of good manners and morals,
the rulings of worship and dealings with others, the lives of the Prophets
and the righteous, and the reward and punishment of the believers and
disbelievers. He has described Paradise, the abode of the believers,
and He has described Hell, the abode of the disbelievers. He has made
it (the Qur’aan) an explanation of all things:

“And We have sent down to you the Book
(the Qur’aan) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and
glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allaah as Muslims)”

[al-Nahl 16:89 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The
Qur’aan explains the names and attributes of Allaah and what He has
created. It calls us to believe in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His
Messengers and the Last Day: 

“The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in
what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers.
Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers.
(They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’
— and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our
Lord, and to You is the return (of all)’”

[al-Baqarah 2:285 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The
Qur’aan describes the Day of Judgement and what will happen after death
– the resurrection, the gathering, the judgement and being brought to
account. It describes the Cistern, the Siraat (bridge over Hell), the
Balance [in which deeds will be weighed], the blessings and torment,
and the gathering of mankind on that great Day: 

“Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has
the right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will gather you together
on the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt. And who is
truer in statement than Allaah?

[al-Nisaa’ 4:87 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The
Qur’aan calls us to examine and ponder the signs of Allaah in the universe
and the verses of the Qur’aan: 

“Say: ‘Behold all that is in the heavens
and the earth’”

[Yoonus 10:101 – interpretation of the meaning] 

“Do they not then think deeply in the
Qur’aan, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?”

[Muhammad 47:24 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The Qur’aan is the Book of Allaah for all
of mankind: 

“Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the
Book (this Qur’aan) for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance,
it is only for his ownself; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray
only for his (own) loss. And you (O Muhammad) are not a Wakeel (trustee
or disposer of affairs, or guardian) over them”[al-Zumar 39:41 – interpretation
of the meaning] 

The Qur’aan confirms the Books which came
before it, the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel), and it is a witness
over them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book
(this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it
and Muhaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures)”[al-Maa'idah
5:48] 

After the Qur’aan was revealed, it became
the Book for all of mankind until the Hour begins. Whoever does not
believe in it is a kaafir who will be punished with torment on the Day
of Resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“But those who reject Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences,
verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), the torment will touch them
for their disbelief (and for their belying the Message of Muhammad)”[al-An’aam
6:49] 

Because of the greatness of the Qur’aan and
the signs, miracles, parables and lessons contained therein, in addition
to its eloquence and beautiful style, Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): 

“Had We sent down this Qur’aan on a mountain, you
would surely have seen it humbling itself and rent asunder by the fear
of Allaah. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that
they may reflect”[al-Hashr 58:21] 

Allaah has challenged mankind and the jinn
to produce something like it, even one soorah or one aayah, but they
could not do that and will never be able to do that, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: ‘If the mankind and the jinn were together
to produce the like of this Qur’aan, they could not produce the like
thereof, even if they helped one another’”[al-Israa’ 17:88] 

Because the Qur’aan
is the greatest of the heavenly Books, the most complete, the most perfect
and the last of them, Allaah commanded His Messenger Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to convey it to all of mankind,
as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O Messenger (Muhammad)! Proclaim (the Message) which
has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you
have not conveyed His Message. Allaah will protect you from mankind”
[al-Maa'idah 5:67] 

Because of the importance
of this book and the ummah’s need for it, Allaah has honoured us with
it. He sent it down to us and has guaranteed to preserve it. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr
(i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr
15:9] 

Nooh (peace be upon him)

 

I would like to have some information about the Prophet of Allaah Nooh (peace be upon him).

Praise be to
Allaah.

Allaah chose Messengers and Prophets from
among the sons of Adam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Allaah chose Adam, Nooh (Noah), the family of Ibraaheem
(Abraham) and the family of ‘Imraan above the ‘Aalameen (mankind and
jinn) (of their times)[Aal ‘Imraan 3:33] 

Allaah sent Nooh to his people to call them
to worship Allaah alone: 

“Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to
his people and he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other
Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah: none has the right to be
worshipped but Allaah.) Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great
Day!’”

[al-A’raaf 7:59 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The people of Nooh used to worship idols,
so they transgressed, rebelled and were arrogant: 

“And they have said: ‘You shall not leave your gods,
nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwaa‘, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya‘ooq nor Nasr’
(these are the names of their idols)[Nooh :23 – interpretation of the
meaning] 

Nooh called his people, and he remained among
them for one thousand years less fifty (i.e., 950 years), calling them
to worship Allaah alone and to give up idol-worship, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“And indeed We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people, and
he stayed among them a thousand years less fifty years[al-‘Ankaboot
29:14] 

But the people of Nooh did not respond to
him and they did not benefit from his advice. Rather their nobles denied
his Prophethood and accused him of lying, and they said that his followers
were from among the poor and weak who had little understanding. 
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said:
‘We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but
the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking. And
we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars’”[Hood
11:27] 

Nooh continued to call his people, treating
them kindly and calling them on every occasion, night and day, in secret
and openly, but no one believed with him except for a few. Most of them
disbelieved in him and mocked him; they accused him of insanity and
tried to stop him from conveying the message of his Lord. They threatened
to stone him if he did not stop: 

“They said: ‘If you cease not, O Nooh (Noah) you will
surely, be among those stoned (to death)’”[al-Shu’ara 26:116] 

But Nooh paid no heed to their threat, and
he continued to call them until, when he could no longer bear their
mockery and arrogance, he turned to his Lord with this complaint (interpretation
of the meaning): 

“He said: ‘O my Lord! Verily, I have called to my people
night and day (i.e. secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islamic
Monotheism),

But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight
(from the truth).

And verily, every time I called unto them that You
might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered
themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal),
and magnified themselves in pride.

Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud).

Then verily, I proclaimed to them in public, and I
have appealed to them in private.

I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your Lord,
verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;

He will send rain to you in abundance,

And give you increase in wealth and children, and
bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.’ ”[Nooh 71:5-12] 

When Nooh despaired of his people’s ever believing,
and they threatened to kill him and they persecuted him and those who
believed with him, he had no choice but to pray against them. He said: 

“My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers
on the earth!

If You leave them, they will mislead Your slaves,
and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers”[Nooh 71:26-27] 

Allaah responded to the prayer of Nooh and
destroyed the people of Nooh by drowning them. He commanded him to build
a ship of salvation so that he and the believers could ride in it: 

“And it was revealed to Nooh (Noah):
‘None of your people will believe except those who have believed already.
So be not sad because of what they used to do.

And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our
Revelation, and call not upon Me on behalf of those who did wrong; they
are surely to be drowned’”[Hood 11:36-37 – interpretation of the meaning] 

When Nooh (peace be upon him) had finished
building the ship, and the signs of the beginning of the punishment
appeared, with water springing up from the ground and water falling
from the sky, Allaah commanded Nooh to take onto the ship one pair,
male and female, of every living creature and animal, so that they might
continue to survive. He also commanded him to take with him his family,
except for those among them who disbelieved – who were one of his wives
and one of his sons. And Allaah also commanded him to take with him
those who believed, who were few in number. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning): 

“(So it was) till when Our Command
came and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth).
We said: ‘Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your
family — except him against whom the Word has already gone forth — and
those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.’

And he [Nooh (Noah)] said: ‘Embark therein: in the
Name of Allaah will be its (moving) course and its (resting) anchorage.
Surely, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’

So it (the ship) sailed with them amidst waves like
mountains, and Nooh (Noah) called out to his son, who had separated
himself (apart): ‘O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.’

The son replied: ‘I will betake myself to some mountain,
it will save me from the water.’ Nooh (Noah) said: ‘This day there is
no saviour from the Decree of Allaah except him on whom He has mercy.’
And waves came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned”[Hood
11:40-43] 

Then Nooh was seized with compassion for his
son, so he asked his Lord to save him from destruction: 

“And Nooh (Noah) called upon his
Lord and said, ‘O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly,
Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges.’

He said: ‘O Nooh (Noah)! Surely, he is not of your
family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me that of which
you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you should be one of the
ignorant’” [Hood 11:45-46 – interpretation of the meaning] 

When Allaah had destroyed the kuffaar by drowning,
He commanded the earth to swallow up the water and He commanded the
sky to withhold its rain. Then the ship came to rest on Mount Joodi
in Mosul. The matter was settled and the wrongdoers were destroyed: 

“And it was said: ‘O earth! Swallow
up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).’ And the water was made
to subside and the Decree (of Allaah) was fulfilled (i.e. the destruction
of the people of Nooh (Noah). And it (the ship) rested on (Mount) Judi,
and it was said: ‘Away with the people who are Zalimoon (polytheists
and wrongdoing)!’”

[Hood 11:44 – interpretation of the meaning] 

After the ship had come to rest, Allaah commanded
Nooh and those who were with him to disembark, encompassed with peace
and blessings: 

“It was said: ‘O Nooh (Noah)! Come
down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on
the people who are with you (and on some of their offspring), but (there
will be other) people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a
time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us’”

[Hood 11:48 – interpretation of the meaning] 

Thus Allaah helped Nooh and those who believed
with him, and He destroyed those who disbelieved, and made them a lesson
for mankind: 

“And (remember) Nooh (Noah), when
he cried (to Us) aforetime. We answered to his invocation and saved
him and his family from the great distress.

We helped him against the people who denied Our Ayaat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). Verily,
they were a people given to evil. So We drowned them all”

[al-Anbiyaa’ 21:76-77 – interpretation of the meaning] 

Then Allaah ordained Prophethood and the Book
among the descendents of Nooh and Ibraaheem (peace be upon them), as
He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) and Ibraaheem
(Abraham), and placed in their offspring Prophethood and Scripture.
And among them there are some who are guided; but many of them are Fasiqoon
(rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)”

[al-Hadeed 57:26] 

The reason why there is no picture of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

 

 

Praise be to
Allaah.

Islam came to prevent all
means that may lead to shirk or the association of others in worship
with Allaah. Among these means is the making of images, so sharee’ah
forbids making images, and curses the one who does that, and a strong
warning is issued to the one who does that. It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah
the Mother of the Believers that Umm Habeebah and Umm Salamah mentioned
a church that they had seen in Abyssinia, in which there were images.
They mentioned it to the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he said: “Those people,
if there was a righteous man among them and he died, they would build
a place of worship over his grave and put those images in it. They will
be among the most evil of creation before Allaah on the Day of Resurrection.”
(narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Salaah, 409). 

It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back from a journey
and I had placed a curtain of mine that had pictures on it over (the
door of) a room of mine. When the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw it, he tore it and said,
‘The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection
will be those who try to make the like of Allaah’s creation.’ So we
turned it (the curtain) into one or two cushions.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
al-Libaas, 5498). 

It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah
ibn Mas’ood said: “I heard the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘The people who will
be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers.’”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Libaas, 5494).  

So how could he grant permission to make a picture
of him? Hence none of the Sahaabah dared to make a picture or image
of him, because they knew the ruling that doing so was haraam. 

Allaah warns against exaggeration,
as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O people of the Scripture (Christians)!
Do not exceed the limits in your religion”

[al-Nisaa’ 4:171] 

And the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against doing anything
that may involve exceeding the limits concerning him

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He said: “Do not exaggerate
about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam, for
I am just a slave, so say ‘The slave of Allaah and His Messenger.’”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Ahaadeeth al-Anbiya’, 3189). 

Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab
wrote a chapter entitled “Maa jaa’a ‘an sabab kufr Bani Adam huwa
al-ghulw fi’l-saaliheen (What was narrated stating that the reason
for the kufr of the sons of Adam was their exaggeration concerning the
righteous).”, in which he said: “In al-Saheeh it is narrated
that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, concerning the
aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 

‘“And they have
said: ‘You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor
Suwaa‘, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya‘ooq nor Nasr’ (these are the names of their
idols).’

[Nooh 71:23] 

 – “These were the names of righteous
men among the people of Nooh. When they died, the Shaytaan inspired
their people to set up stone altars in the places where they used to
sit, and call them by their names. They did that but they did not worship
them, until those people died, then the knowledge was forgotten and
they were worshipped.” 

Ibn al-Qayyim said: “More
than one of the salaf said: ‘when they died, the people started to frequent
their graves, then they made statues of them, then as time passed they
started to worship them.” (Fath al-Majeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed
by ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Hasan, p. 219) 

For this reason there are
no pictures of the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he forbade doing
that, lest it lead to shirk. 

The implication of the testimony
that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is that we believe in him
and in the message that he brought, even though there are no pictures
of him. The believers do not need a picture of him in order to follow
him. The description of him that is given in the saheeh reports means
that we have no need of his picture. Among the descriptions of him

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that have been narrated
are the following: 

1-                
He

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most handsome of
face of all people.

2-    
            He
had wide shoulders.

3-                
He was neither tall nor short (of average height).

4-                
He had a round face with a ruddy complexion.

5-                
His eyes were intensely black.

6-                
He had long eyelashes.

7- He was the Seal of
the Prophets, the most generous of people in giving, he was the most
forbearing and content of all people, he was the most sincere in speech
of all people, he had the gentlest nature of all people and was the
most easy-going with others. Those who saw him suddenly stood in awe
of him and those who mized with him came to love him. Those who described
him said they had never seen anyone like him
before or since.” 

See Sunan al-Tirmidhi,
al-Manaaqib, 3571 and other books of Sunnah which give descriptions
of the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 

Undoubtedly the believers
wish that they could have met the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Hence it says in the hadeeth
narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Messenger of Allaah

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people most loved
by me among my ummah will be those who would come after me, but every
one amongst them would have the keenest desire to catch a glimpse of
me even at the expense of his family and his wealth.” (Narrated by Muslim,
al-Jannah wa Sifat Na’eemihaa, 5060). Undoubtedly love
of the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and following him are the
means of being brought together with him in Paradise. Part of loving
him

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is seeing him in a dream,
which means seeing him in his real form. It was reported that Abu Hurayrah
said: “I heard the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Whoever sees me in
a dream will see me when he is awake, for the Shaytaan cannot take my
form.’” Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said, Ibn Seereen said: this applies if one
sees him in his true form. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Ta’beer,
6478). 

And Allaah is the Source of strength.
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.