Shahadah

[Zainab_M]

 




I am sure even our revert brothers and sisters know what the 'Shahadah' is.

There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.
(La Ilaha illAllah Muhammad-ar-Rasool Allah)

This is the Shahadah.  It's also recited as part of the formal and official procedure by those reverting to Islam.

There are some who ask why Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) name is mentioned in the Shahadah.  They wrongly assume that the inclusion of Prophet Muhammad's name in the Shahadah is aimed at putting the Prophet at par with Allah.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

From the days of the Call uptil modern times, there's been a great deal of opposition by many unbelieving and conceited minds disputing the status of Prophet Muhammad.  Such people have existed in all generations since 1400 years who have perpetually denied to accept Prophet Muhamamd as the chosen Messenger of Allah.  And of course, he is the final one.  Considering this, the tendency in the minds of such people to reject Prophet Muhamamd has been deeper than their desire to reject former Prophets.  Being the final Messenger and bringing the final Divine Message that's intact, Prophet Muhamamd has been a lot more in the limelight of attention compared to former Prophets, many of whom became forgotten history with the passage of time.  The aspect of defamation & rejection by skeptics has been highlighted in the Glorious Quraan is several Chapters.  Allah Almighty has also comforted the Prophet telling him not to grieve over their hurtful talks.  The thought of including Prophet Muhammad's name in the Shahadah is simply as assertion of the Prophet's status of a chosen Messenger of Allah.  Needless to say, this concept is totally in conformation with the Message of the Quraan.

One may also ask, since there were other Messengers of Allah as well in the past, why don't we have Shahadah including their names as well?  Yes, there were other messengers of Allah prior to Prophet Muhammad, and Shahadah including their names would not be a transgression at all just as inclusion of Prophet Muhammad's name is not a violation.  If anyone amongst us has enough time to recite Shahadah daily in the names of all the Prophets from Adam to Muhammad to reiterate their status as Messengers of Allah can do so by all means.  That would surely be nice.  But unfortunately most of us are hard pressed for that kind of time.  Thus, we only include the name of the last Messenger in the Shahadah.  This automatically signifies that we accept the Message delivered by Prophet Muhamamd from Allah (the Highest), which would subsequently assert that along with the final Messenger, we accept all his predecessors as having the same status of the chosen Messengers of Allah. 

If there are any who include Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) name in the Shahadah with  different reasons than stated above, would have to be analysed and their motives rejected if found incompatible with Quraanic dictates. 

More on Shahadah @ A Hadithist asked why we accept the Shahadah because according to him, Shahadah is not in the Quran.

[Zainab_M]

As-salaam Alaikum all.

A couple of days ago there was a strange request for registration via our blog from someone claiming to be a Quran alone follower.  I deleted his intro because I perceived him as a so-called Quran follower, not a genuine one.  In fact, it can be proven that such folks are no different from traditionalists. Both are just as belligerent and just as devoid of common sense.

This man with ID "Areeb" from "India" who is supposedly a rejector of traditionalism writes:  "I disagree with sister Zeynab's post "Shahadah".No where in the Quran we find that God has authorized us to testify Prophet Muhammad as messenger."   Around 4 or 5 years ago, a Hadithist who was a follower of traditionalism asked me at Facebook "If you are Quran alone Muslim then why do you recite the Shahadah because there is no Shahadah in the Quran?"   So, you see how daft and deluded both of them are?

Let me state, we aren't chained to titles such as "modernists," "progressives," "traditionalists" etc.  I repeat, we only adhere to what we perceive in conformity with the words as well as the principles of the Glorious Quran which we are supposed to grasp as sensible and believing human beings.  Furthermore, we have made it quite clear at the header of our forum that barnstormers aren't welcomed who refuse to used their common sense.

These people presume Shahadah is outside the Quran because the precise words of the Shahadah as we recognize it are not spelled out in any specific Verse.  But when we say we follow the Quran alone, that includes the Quranic information given in the Ayats as well as the obvious & confirmed Quranic principles which Allah expects us to know and accept.  Here is what I mean:  The complete Shahadah expresses: I bear witness that there is no god but ALLAH; He has NO partners nor partner.  And I bear witness that Muhammed is the slave and the final Messenger of Allah.

So, let's analyze the points contained in the Shahahah.
1)  No other deity is worthy of worship except Allah.
2)  Allah is the One and Only Who has NO partner nor partners.
3)  Muhammed is simply a slave of Allah, implying he is a human being and NO divinity should be attributed to him.
4)  That Muhammed is the last of all the messengers sent by Allah to humankind.

Points Nos.1 and 2 have been emphasized in the Quran in all Surahs with many different and beautiful articulations.  I don't need to quote to prove that.  Any one who doubts this is a plain and shameless deviant.

Point No.3 clarifies that Muhammed is a slave (or some may interpret it as servant) of Allah.  As any reader of the Quran would know, all human beings are explicitly referred by Allah as His slaves (E.g. V.35:31).  This includes all Prophets who are the slaves of Allah.  In Verse 19:30 where Allah Almighty quotes Jesus (son of Virgin Mary) "He spake: Indeed! I am the slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture and has appointed me a Prophet," Thus, think carefully without denouncing your rational mind;  can Prophet Muhammed be anything other than a slave of Allah, like all others?

Point No.4 highlights the Quranic information that there will be no messengers / prophets after Muhammed.  Ref. V.33:40 "Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and last of the prophets." The expression "last of the prophets" is stated in original Arabic as "wa khatim un nabieen"   Nabi means prophet and rasool means messenger.  End (khatim) to prophethood automatically denotes end to messengership as well.  For clarification on this aspect read "Is There a Difference Between a Prophet (Nabi) and a Messenger (Rasool)? NO!"

Is there a single aspect in the Shahadah I have quoted above, which can be seen as an extra-Quranic ideology?  None at all.

User "Areeb" also wrote:
"According to Quran 2:285 the concept of belief/faith comprises belief in the following :
1-) One God
2-) The Angels
3-) The Scriptures
4-) The Messengers
However there is no need of testifying angels,scriptures,messengers."

The question is, does the Shahadah demand or insinuate anything that refutes Verse 2:285.  Not at all.

Additionally this crazy user "Areeb" claims "No where in the Quran we find that God has authorized us to testify Prophet Muhammad as messenger." Isn't the information contained throughout the Quran that we must NOT doubt that whatever Muhammed is uttering is through inspiration of the Divine Power?  Doesn't the Quran repeatedly convey the message and ideology that we are NOT to doubt nor waver that Muhammed is sent by The Almighty? Anyone who answer 'no' to these questions is gone case and no use talking to them.  Muslim Villa is most certainly NOT the right place for them.  Needless to mention, the Quran's categorical confirmation that Muhammed (pbuh) is His messenger is contained right through the Book.  Thereafter, when Allah confirms a thing in the Quran with as much emphasis as the prophethood/messengership of Muhammed (pbuh), would it be seen as a violation of Quranic principle to testify that Truth?  Only a confounded half-wit will argue over something as clearly and strongly asserted by Allah The Almighty.

The Shahadah is simply a summary confirmation of the ideology of Monotheism highlighting the Oneness of God and the end of the system of prophets/messengers coming to this world with His Message.

This automatically also implies that the Quran is the final Message.  Unthinking pro and anti traditionalists might also ask why we recognize the Quran to be the final Message because Allah does not specify it in so many words.  But when Allah says that there will be no more prophets/messengers, then the information of the Quran being the final Message is compulsorily and unquestionably endorsed.   Allah has confirmed that the Quran is protected in a "guarded tablet" (lawh Mahfooz), therefore His Final Message will be with humankind forever until the Day of Resurrection.  For this reason Allah has decided upon khatim un nabieen.

Combative non-traditionalists and traditionalists:  Kindly do not keep the gray matter within your skull cage locked away.  Use it.  Otherwise no need to sign-up here.  If you want to learn from us, feel most welcomed.  Just read as guests.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Thank you Sister Zeynab.  I hope reading you comprehensive clarification knocks some sense into the heads of many of these mods and trads.  Neither of them are able to understand what it means to be a Quran-alone follower. 

As-salaam Alaikum all.

Additionally this crazy user "Areeb" claims "No where in the Quran we find that God has authorized us to testify Prophet Muhammad as messenger."

What an amazing nit-wit this person is!

The problem with modernists and hadithists is that they take everything in black & white. They want to be spoon fed because they cannot, or will not, make the slightest effort to think and ponder as they read the Quran ... like they're doing elementary arithmetic ....  4+4=8.  They can understand that.  But if they cannot understand how 8+2-2 can also be 8. Thus they have no concept of Quranic principles unless what is spelled out in so many words. 

Thanks again for the articulation, sister.