Quran Garden

Session 474

Chapter 3

Verse 144

a continuation

Muhammad is only a messenger before whom many messengers have come and gone.  If he died or was killed, would you revert to your old ways?  If anyone did so, he would not harm God in the least.  God will reward the grateful.  (Chapter 3: Verse 144)

Allah informed us that receiving assistance and victory from Him is not tied to our material humanity.  In the previous session, we learned how God empowered our beloved Muhammad -who could barely stand from exhaustion- to kill the tyrant of Quraysh, Ubay ibn Khalaf.   In fact, there have been many events where God gave Muhammad clear signs proving he is indeed the heavenly Messenger.  Let's look at a few such instances.

We start with the battle of Uhud.  Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, saw a dream a few nights before.  He told his companions, "Indeed, I have seen a good vision; I saw a herd of cows being slaughtered.  I saw my sword with a large chip in it, and that I placed my hand into a strong armor."  Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, continued, "The Archangel Gabriel explained to me that the cows being sacrificed are a share of my companions attaining martyrdom.  And the chip in my sword is a person from my close family being killed.  As for the hand in the strong armor, it is my safe return to Medina." 

And in another Hadith, our beloved Muhammad said, "I saw myself on a certain day, and there was no one on Earth but two standing by me: The Archangel Gabriel on my right and Talha on my left."  In other words, Prophet Muhammad was shown many of the events and calamities of the battle of Uhud and told his companions about them days in advance.    

He also saw about events after the battle.  As you know, when a Muslim dies, he or she is washed and purified in a specific way in preparation for burial.  But those who are martyred earn the honor of meeting the Lord with their wounds smelling like musk, so they are not washed.  Instead, they are buried in their clothes.  After the battle of Uhud, as the Messenger was helping bury the martyrs, he paused next to Hanzala's body and said, "The angels are washing your friend Hanzala." The companions wondered why Hanzala's treatment went beyond the norm for martyrs.   

When the Messenger returned to Medina, he went to Hanzala's family and inquired.  He soon learned that Hanzala had just gotten married.  In fact, he was called to battle on his wedding night, so he rushed to join the army and did not have the chance to take the purification shower.  Thus, the angels washed him after death. 

Indeed, God, the Exalted, granted His Messenger signs to confirm to him and to the companions that he is the heavenly Messenger.  The companion Jaber narrates: "There was a Jewish merchant in Medina who used to lend me money when I was in need.  We agreed that I would pay him back the next season after I harvested the dates from my palm trees.  That particular year, my trees had a very poor yield.  And when the merchant came asking for his money, I explained my situation and asked if he could wait till next year's crop.  He refused and became angry with me.  I felt trapped.  Prophet Muhammad heard about my situation from his companions and asked them: 'Take me to Jaber's land; maybe I can arbitrate and ask the merchant to give him another year.' The merchant said to Muhammad: "O Abu Qasem, I cannot wait any longer for my money.' The Prophet waited for a while and then intervened with the merchant again, only to receive the same answer, 'O Abu Qasem, I cannot wait.' The Prophet came to me and said: 'Jaber, show me which trees are yours?' so I did.  He, peace be upon him, continued: 'Can you get me a few of your dates and a good place to rest on your land.' I rushed to do as he asked.  The Prophet ate from my dates and took a nap between my trees.  When he woke up, he went back to the Jewish merchant and asked again if he could wait till next year.  The merchant refused.  Prophet Muhammad looked at me and said: 'Jaber, go back to your land and harvest your trees.' I found my trees, that were bare earlier, overburdened with ripe dates.  I collected the dates, paid the merchant, and kept the rest for myself.  I never had a better year.  When Prophet Muhammad saw me coming back burdened with bags of dates, he smiled and said: 'I bear witness that I am the Messenger of God.'" 

God's support for His Messenger extended to protect even his name!  When the enemies of Muhammad wanted to curse him, they would not curse the name Muhammad, but a name they had chosen, which was "Muthamam."  Um Jameel, the wife of Abu Lahab, used to say, "Muthamam we disobey, his command we reject, and his faith we abandon." When these words reached our beloved Muhammad, he smiled and said, "Would you not marvel at how Allah protected me from the harm of the Quraysh?  They revile Muthamam and curse Muthamam, and I am Muhammad!" Thus, we see from the mouths of enemies of Islam that the Messenger was protected by the will of Allah, so that even his name was kept away from curses.   

The events of Uhud gave Muhammad's companions a first-class education.  In fact, they never suffered a defeat afterward because of the pure unshakable faith they attained in Uhud.  They realized that God knows what is hidden within the heart and would bring it forth before everyone to see.  Thus, when the companions engaged in future battles, they were prepared to struggle until they triumphed. 

The question "would you revert to your old ways?" refers to visible physical movements such as fleeing the battlefield.  More importantly, it holds the moral and spiritual meaning of turning away from the values of faith.  After the rumor of the Prophet's death spread among the fighters, the hypocrites said, "Had he been a real prophet, he would not have been killed.  Return to your brothers in Quraysh and to your old ways."  As for those who accepted Islam but were weak in faith, they said: "Let's go to Ibn Ubayy so he can arrange with Abu Sufyan a safe passage for us."  Upon hearing all this, Anas ibn Nodar stood up and said, "I bear witness before you and absolve myself from what these hypocrites said, and I seek God's forgiveness for what those weak in faith said." 

The verse continues, "If anyone did so, he would not harm God in the least."  Here we ask, does anything we do benefit or harm the Almighty?  We answer that Allah is the Provider and has always been.  This is true even before the existence of those for whom He provides.  If God had not been a provider, then how was He able to provide for the first creation?  Similarly, Allah is the Most Merciful even before any creation is present to receive this mercy.  He created this universe with the perfection of all His attributes, and these attributes will remain long after the creation ceases to exist.  God says:

God bears witness that there is no god but Him, as do the angels and those who have knowledge.  He upholds justice.  There is no god but Him, the Almighty, the All-Wise.  (3:18)

Thus, regardless of our beliefs and actions, we did not and cannot add or take away any of God's attributes.  He created you and guided you so you may add value to yourself.  In other words, the benefits of faith are all for you.  Thus, the verse ends with, "God will reward the grateful," for sincere gratitude is only given when you recognize the immense blessings of creation –as you were nothing before-, and the greater blessing of guidance –as you would have been lost without it-  The entire universe was created for your benefit.