“In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty has said: وَرَفَعْنَا لَکَ ذِکْرَکَ (سورۃ الانشرح: 4)
Translation:
And raised high for you your repute. (Surah Ash-Sharh: 4)
In this blessed verse, Allah Almighty did not say that your mention will be exalted, but rather said ‘has been exalted’. When has it been exalted? Since Allah Almighty exists, and how long will it remain exalted? As long as Allah Almighty exists. He is eternal and will always remain! Similarly, the mention of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is also eternal and will always remain because he was a Prophet even when Adam (peace be upon him) was between soil and water. Gabriel (peace be upon him) informed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about his lifespan, saying that he does not know his lifespan, but he knows that after seventy thousand years, a luminous star appears in the fourth veil of Allah’s radiant veils, and he has seen it countless times. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘O Gabriel! I am that star.’ Then he exalted him in various places! Is it only in this world? Why? He is the Lord of the Worlds Himself, and His beloved is the Mercy to the Worlds. Therefore, all the worlds that Allah has created, He is their Lord, and in all those worlds, you صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم are the Messenger. That is why your mention has been raised in all those worlds. How many worlds are there? This is beyond our comprehension, and in all of them your mention is elevated, therefore understanding the reality and elevation of your mention is above intellect and comprehension.
“In this noble verse, the word ( لَکَ ) which means ‘for you’ clearly signifies this truth: O my beloved (peace be upon him), what do we care about anyone else? Whether someone is happy or unhappy, pleased or displeased, we are indeed the masters, independent of all. Everyone is in need of us, but we are in need of no one. We care not for anyone. But when it comes to you (peace be upon him), I even mention you so that you may be pleased.
Here, ‘height’ is a relative term. For example, people sitting on a stage are higher than those sitting on the ground, and those on a rooftop are higher than those on a stage, and so on. Every height is relative. Therefore, if it is said that something is ‘high’, a question immediately arises: high compared to what? And if nothing is mentioned for comparison, then height cannot be understood. Hence, height is a relative term, but in this noble verse, absolute height is mentioned.”
“Human intellect questions: Compared to what has God exalted Him? Because no comparison is mentioned. Hence, that Being says, ‘There is nothing comparable to My Beloved; who else should be mentioned?’ Here, there is absolute elevation, absolute height. There are no specific numbers like two, four, ten, fifteen, hundred, thousand, crore, arab, kharab, etc., which can be mentioned to show that He is exalted compared to them. When the Beloved (peace be upon him) was exalted above all creation, then who else is there to mention? No one is worthy of mention.
Reflecting on the meaning of ‘Warafa’na laka dhikrak,’ it becomes clear that this noble verse clarifies that there is nothing in the universe that can elevate the mention of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to a higher level, because it says, ‘O Beloved (peace be upon him), We have exalted your mention above all things.’ Now, tell me, does your intellect, your knowledge, your studies, your debates, arguments, reasoning, your intellectual and empirical proofs, writings, statements, etc., all fall within the scope of the word ‘thing’? When all this comes under the word ‘thing’, then the meaning of the divine command is that the mention of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is higher than your knowledge, higher than your intellect, higher than your thought and insight, higher than your understanding, higher than your studies, higher than your books, and higher than your debates. No matter how long you soar in your life, wherever your flight ends, the mention of my Beloved (peace be upon him) is even higher than that. In short, to engage in a debate about ‘what is the status of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and what is not’ is equivalent to determining the rank and status of the Prophet (peace be upon him), which is sheer error, misguidance, and ignorance. (Faith is centered and focused on the person of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)).”
“Allah Almighty has elevated the mention of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to such a high degree that He has made the remembrance of the Prophet obligatory along with His own remembrance.
Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Allah Almighty said to the Prophet (peace be upon him):”
لَا اُذْکَرُ فِیْ مَکَانٍ اِلَّا ذُکِرْتَ مَعِیْ یَامُحَمَّدُ مِمَّنْ ذَکَرَنِیْ وَلَمْ یَذْکُرَکُ فَلَیْسَ لَہُ فِی الْجَنَّۃِ نَصِیْبٌ۔ (درمنشور جلد 6 صفحہ 401)
“O Mohammad (peace be upon him)! Wherever my name is mentioned, your name (peace be upon him) is also mentioned. Whoever mentions my name but does not mention your name (peace be upon him) will have no share in Paradise.”
“The greatest example of the high status of the remembrance of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the five daily calls to prayer (adhan). When the muezzin declares the oneness of Allah (Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah)( اَشْھَدُ اَنْ لَّآاِلَہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ), he also immediately declares the prophethood of Allah’s beloved (Ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasulullah)(اَشْھَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَّسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ ). Those who know would understand that the adhan is an Islamic emblem that resonates throughout the world, every moment of the day and night.” “It begins with the dawn breaking in the easternmost islands of the Malay Archipelago. As soon as the first light of dawn appears around 5:30 in the morning, the call to prayer (adhan) begins in the far eastern islands of Indonesia. Simultaneously, thousands of muezzins proclaim the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
This sequence moves from the eastern islands to the western ones. Within an hour and a half, the call of the muezzin can be heard in Jakarta. After Jakarta, this sequence begins in Sumatra, and before reaching the western towns and villages of Sumatra, the adhan begins to rise in the mosques of Malaya. After Malaya, it’s Burma’s turn. The wave of adhan that starts from Jakarta reaches Dhaka an hour later. And before this sequence ends in Bangladesh, it extends from Kolkata to Srinagar and Mumbai, and the entire atmosphere of India reverberates with the proclamation of the oneness of God and the prophethood. Srinagar and Sialkot have the same time for the Fajr prayer. There is a 40-minute difference between Sialkot, Quetta, Karachi, and Gwadar, and during this time, the adhan of Fajr continues to rise in Pakistan. Before this sequence ends in Pakistan, it begins in Afghanistan and Muscat. There is an hour’s difference between Muscat and Baghdad. During this time, the adhan echoes in the Holy Land, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Iraq. From Baghdad to Alexandria, there is another hour’s difference. During this time, the adhan rises in Syria, Egypt, Somalia, and Sudan. Alexandria and Istanbul are located at the same latitude. There is a difference of an hour and a half between eastern Turkey and western Turkey. During this time, the voice of the oneness of God and the prophethood rises in Turkey. From Alexandria to Tripoli, there is an hour’s duration. During this time, the sequence of adhan begins in Libya and Tunisia in North Africa.
The adhan of Fajr, which began in the eastern islands of Indonesia, travels a long journey of nine and a half hours to reach the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Before the adhan of Fajr reaches the Atlantic Ocean, the sequence of the adhan of Zuhr begins in eastern Indonesia, and by the time the adhan of Zuhr begins in Dhaka, the adhan of Asr begins to rise in eastern Indonesia. This sequence barely reaches Jakarta in an hour and a half, and it’s time for Maghrib prayer in the eastern islands of Indonesia. The adhan of Maghrib barely reaches Sumatra from the Malay Archipelago, and it’s time for Isha. When the sequence of the adhan of Isha begins in eastern Indonesia, the adhan of Fajr is echoing in Africa.
Not a single second passes on Earth without thousands and millions of muezzins simultaneously proclaiming the greatness of Allah and the prophethood of His Messenger. And this sequence will continue until the Day of Judgment. This is one way and proof of exalting the remembrance of you, O Prophet (peace be upon him).”
“Prayer is a fundamental pillar of Islam and is obligatory five times a day. Every worshipper sends salutations and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) in every prayer, indicating that prayer is incomplete without mentioning him.
Moreover, blessings are the remembrance and worship that make every act of worship acceptable in the divine court. Because people of every sect and belief hold the belief that if blessings are recited at the beginning and end of a prayer or supplication, then the worship or supplication is surely accepted. Hence, it is said that if you want to ask something from me, first send blessings upon my beloved. Mention my beloved. Then I will accept it. This is another way to elevate the remembrance of my beloved.
It is utterly impossible to describe the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) in a manner that is commensurate with his greatness and stature. For no one can truly comprehend his reality. The Prophet himself said, ‘No one knows my reality except my Lord.’
The remembrance and praise of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) is itself an act of worship, and blessings are another name for praising the Prophet. Blessings upon the Seal of the Prophets, the Beloved of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) is an offering of faith, a declaration of his greatness, a praise of his beautiful attributes, an expression of boundless love and devotion, and a mark of respect for the Holy Prophet. The Holy Quran says…”
اِنَّ اللّٰہَ وَمَلٰٓئِکَتَہٗ یُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ ط یٰٓاَ یُّھَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا صَلُّوْا عَلَیْہِ وَسَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِیْمًا۔(الاحزاب۔56)
Translation: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe! Send blessings upon him and greet him with a greeting of peace. This is the only form of worship in which Allah has included Himself. There are three who send blessings upon the Prophet: (1) Allah, (2) the angels, and (3) the believers. Allah’s blessings upon the Prophet mean:
- Allah is exalting the mention of the Prophet.
- He is granting victory to the Prophet’s religion at every moment.
- Allah has abrogated the shari’ah (laws) of all previous prophets and has made the shari’ah of His beloved Prophet eternal, declaring it as the means of salvation and nearness to Allah for all believers until the Day of Judgment.
- Allah is constantly increasing the honor and dignity of the Prophet, as it is stated in the Quran, “And indeed, the latter [part of your life] is better for you than the former.” (وللا خرہ خیر لک من الاولی )
- On the Day of Judgment, Allah will grant the Prophet the position of intercession and will say, “O Muhammad, ask, and We will grant you; intercede, and We will accept your intercession.” (Muslim)
- Allah is granting the believers the blessing of seeing Allah through the intercession of the Prophet.”
“The greeting from the angels upon you means that they supplicate to Allah to bestow upon you, O Prophet (peace be upon him), the highest of ranks and to grant your religion dominance in the world.
The greeting from the believers also means a request to Allah to exalt the status of the Prophet in His presence. In other words, it is made clear to the believers that when I bestow blessings upon my beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) and My angels glorify him, O believers! You too should glorify My beloved.
In this blessed verse, the word ‘salawat’ ( صلوٰۃ) is used which has three meanings: first, to be merciful or kind out of love and affection; second, to praise and describe; and third, to supplicate. Therefore, when this word is used by Allah, the first and second meanings are intended. However, when the word ‘salawat’ ( صلوٰۃ) is used by angels and humans, it means to pray and supplicate to Allah.”
The phrase (سَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِیْمًا) means to offer greetings to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Believers are commanded not only to send blessings but also to offer greetings to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Greetings are offered to someone who is present, thus this also signifies the ‘life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Although the aforementioned noble verse commands us to send blessings and greetings, we humbly acknowledge and say, (اَللّٰھُمَّ صَلِّ) meaning, ‘O Allah, You alone know the true status and worth of Your beloved. Therefore, You alone send blessings and greetings on behalf of us to Your beloved, which are befitting of his honor and dignity.
“Furthermore, Allah exalted the mention of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in such a way that every aspect of his character, every gesture, every word, and every action has been preserved, and following his example is obligatory upon every Muslim. More books have been written about the Prophet’s life than any other human being, and this continues to happen with every passing moment. These books have been written in every language of the world. Even when non-believers, without bias, select one hundred influential people from history, the Prophet is always the first. This is how Allah has exalted the mention of His Beloved.
Moreover, every command and action of the Prophet has been preserved as the Sunnah, and Muslims are commanded to follow it. When a Muslim acts upon the Prophet’s Sunnah, they are indeed exalting his mention.
Furthermore, Allah not only exalted the mention of His Beloved but also exalted the mention of those who loved His Beloved. Who knew Bilal ibn Rabah before he became Bilal, the muezzin of Islam? Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali would have been known only within their tribes, regions, or time had it not been for the magnetic power and alchemy of this precious orphan. Whoever came close to him gained fame, and the closer they came, the greater their fame in this world and the higher their status in the hereafter. The son of Khattab, who came to kill with a naked sword, was asked by Allah’s Beloved to seek forgiveness for his sins. The sword was sheathed and when it was drawn again, it became the sword of Islam, conquering half the world and remaining remembered until the end of time. Umar ibn al-Khattab became Umar Farooq, the Commander of the Faithful, and one of the greatest rulers in world history. This is not just magnetism; it is the elixir of knowledge, the process of turning ordinary metal into gold, and ordinary people into extraordinary. Even the difficult mountains and caves where he resided were not only given everlasting fame but also became places of pilgrimage. These were not mountains like the Himalayas, famous for their height, nor were they like Mount Mary or the Alps, dry and green, serving as health resorts for humans. Their only distinction was that a noble orphan chose these remote caves for his residence at a specific time, and that choice gave a nameless cave the name of Hira and a dark cave the name of Thaur, elevating their names for eternity. People forget their ancestors after fourteen years, but even after more than fourteen centuries, the names of these people and caves have not only gained fame but also the devotion and love of billions of people. Sometimes I wonder, if this is not a miracle, then what is a miracle? Why do we even think of seeking miracles in supernatural events?
Furthermore, in the era after the Companions, whoever sought the proximity of the Prophet and loved him, and annihilated himself in the Prophet’s love, became a wali of Allah and beloved of the Prophet, and his name was also exalted. If you don’t believe me, look at the shrines of the saints that have existed for centuries. Despite all the opposition, their mention continues to grow with the passage of time.”
And what greater living and enduring proof could there be of (وَرَفَعْنَا لَکَ ذِکْرَکَ) than the fact that this remembrance has always been exalted, is exalted now, and will remain exalted forever? This remembrance has been exalted from eternity and will remain exalted until eternity. This remembrance will remain exalted until the name of Allah is exalted and will exist as long as Allah exists, and Allah has always been and will always be. To exalt this remembrance, a loud voice is not necessary, nor is a lofty claim required. Whoever, with sincerity and correct belief, once associates himself with you, peace be upon him, will also become exalted. This remembrance has continued to rise higher and higher and will continue to do so, because it is its nature to rise and to elevate its adherents to greater heights, and it will continue to do so, because the responsibility of exalting it has been taken up by the One who is higher and more exalted than everything in the universe.
Note: This article is being published with gratitude from the blessed composition The Mohammadan Reality (حقیقتِ محمدیہ) by Sultan-ul-Ashiqin Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Muhammad Najib ur Rahman, may his shadow be blessed.
