Greatest Reformer with a Mission

Reading suras Alaq (ira bismi), Muzammil and Mudathir in combination provides a picture about “Mission Islam” of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (swm).

 

First 5 verses of surah Alaq:

Read in the name of your Lord Who created. Created man from a clot of congealed blood. Read, and your Lord is Most Generous. Who taught knowledge by the pen, taught man what he did not know.

 

The most basic thought for man is that he was created by the Creator, Allah. Man must use his brains for understanding that man did not create himself. This great universe did not come about by an accident. Surely, Allah created mankind and his universe. The path of enlightenment for mankind rests in this simple understanding which Allah swt makes clear through the Holy Quran.

 

 

First 7 verses of surah Mudathir:

O you who lies wrapped up, arise and warn and proclaim the greatness of your Lord. And keep your garments pure, and avoid filth, and do not favor (others) expecting to get more, and be patient for the sake of your Lord.

 

The mission receives the go ahead. The commands for the mission are:

1) Arise and warn mankind about the new Divine order,

2) spread the word to establish the divine system on earth for all mankind, 

3) be pure of heart and soul and elevate your spiritual awareness without forgetting your material needs,

4) do not turn this mission into a trade or a profession expecting for some material reward from it from people, and

5) keep struggling in the path establishing Allah swt’s divine order with determination and will power. 

 

 

First 8 verses of sura Muzammil:

O you who sleeps covered up, keep standing in Prayer at night but a little half the night, or lessen it a little, or add to it a little and recite the Qur’an calmly in a measured tone. Indeed, We are about to send down on you a weighty Word. In fact. the rising by night is most effective for controlling the self and most suitable for reciting the Qur’an well, for in the day time you have many an occupations. Remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him exclusively.

 

The mission is a difficut task which requires a good training and deep levels of thoughts and emotions. How can the carriers of Mission Islam get to that stage where they can selflessly bring the Divine Order on earth is given in this surah. Firstly, make a sacrifice for the mission and for Allah swt. To forgo sleep in the last part of the night is a most difficultthing to do. Sacrificing that time when man’s subsoncious level is in harmony demands a mental and emotional strength of steel. One who can do it regularly will have trained his body and mind to humility and submission before Allah swt.

 

Secondly, praying tahajud at this time brings he mind to a level where it is most powerful to programe according to some belief. The mind can be programmed to function based on what a person holds as his belief system. Tahajud can be that tool for training, programming and directing the mind to do particular things in line with the belief system.

 

Thirdly, at tahajud the Quran is to be read and studied in slow, rhythmic tone which helps to grasp the meaning and the principle spirit of the Divine message.

 

The definitions of the words Muzammil and Mudathir in combination provides a glimpse into the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (swm). His (swm) mission was to take the leadership of the entire mankind. Like the leader of a caravan seated on a fast moving horse. The caravan follows that fearless, spotless, noble, brave character who is going to lead them all to the Divine Order of Allah swt.

Effective controlling of the SELF

Allah swt revealed the first ayah, Iqra Bismi, “Read in the Name of Thy Lord”, which made the usage of man’s intellect compulsory for mankind. The message from Allah swt had always remained constant since the begining of creation. All the prophets, righteous callers to the truth, fighters in the causeof justice, spoke of only one thing, to believe that they were indeed created by One Creator and that they were all to be made accountable in God’s court. All the messengers were one in purpose. They did not (or could not have) brought a different thought to the idea of a Creator of the Universe. Their mission could not have been different either as they all strived to bring mankind into the path of goodness, to believe in the day of judgement, and to obey the universal permanent value system given by the Creator.

The Holy Quran came down to the Prophet Muhammad (swm) on the night of revelation in the month of Ramadhan. However, after the first revelation there was a gap where revelations ceased. This gap could have been a way to train the last prophet (swm) that it was up to Allah swt to reveal the Quran. After the gap (fitrah) revelations came to the last prophet (swm) on a regular basis. The Holy Quran was not sent down from the heavens in one fine download. It came in stages over a period of 23 years. This is because the last heavenly book of God was meant to be a practical book which would have solutions to lifes’ various viewpoints without being locked in time and space. This was not a book of stories. The Holy Quran was the final guidance for all of mankind.

The message of the Holy Quran is simultaneously simple and profound. The language used in the book has a unique style and rhythm to it. The classical language of the book has remained the most standard for the most eloquent form of Arabic. Allah swt trained the Holy Prophet swm in the practical methodology of training himself (swm) on the Quranic way. The Holy Prophet (swm) in turn used his knowledge to train his companions (ra) as well. The Quranic training was obviously taken from the Holy Quran itself.

The first revelation after the fitrah was a command for the holy prophet (swm) to arise and warn mankind about God, the Day of Judgement, and the consequences of not submitting to the truth. Surah al Muzammil TMQ of first 5 ayas are amongst the most authoritative commands where the prophet (swm) is commanded to place all his energies and efforts in the way of the Holy Quran, for its supremacy and for its finality.

[1-14] O you who sleeps covered up, keep standing in Prayer at night but a little half the night, or lessen it a little, or add to it a little and recite the Qur’an calmly in a measured tone. Indeed, We are about to send down on you a weighty Word.In fact. the rising by night is most effective for controlling the self⁷ and most suitable for reciting the Qur’an well, for in the day time you have many an occupations.

 

 

The command is quite clear, wake up at night and recite the holy Quran while saying tahajud prayer, asking the Creator Allah swt for His Nusrah, Rahmah, Maghfirah, Hikmah and for strength to bear the responsibility that comes with attaining knowledge. The practical form of improving the “self” to take on progressively higher duties in life and in society is outlined in the surah. The Quran is to be read in a slow, rhythmic, measured tone, not hurriedly trying to finish up a surah to complete the routine number of ‘rukus’ in tahajud. The idea is to make the brain reach a higher level of concentration so that an individual can elevate his ‘self’ to a position of altitude. The ‘self’ which learns to scale heights will see the world differently than the one which looks downward only. Tahajud salah is such a powerful tool which can lift man up from his current position and into a lofty position where his spiritual self comes in contact with his material self.

 

The meanings of the words and ayas will open doors previously not imagined by the mind. The message of an aya can remain secretly locked up in a page until some thought comes and opens it like a dam bursting out with reserved water. The Holy Prophet (swm) knew how to interact withthe Lord of the Worlds. He (swm) made the Quran his life and guided his character as the Character of the Quran. Allah swt commanded to wake up and pray at night and recite the Quran slowly. This would “effective” as told by the CReator for controlling the “self”. The winning formula was right here with him. And so it remains for all generations to come.

 

The practical training method of the Holy Prophet (swm) lives with us today because the Holy Quran is with us. We know the first methods because it is mentioned in the Holy Quran. We must know that the Quran is not limited to any nation, time or space. The Quran learners today are faced with the exact same situation. They are to make the message of the Holy Quran their motive and purpose in life by following the example of the Holy Prophet (swm), wake up at night and study the Quran with deep concentration.