The Radiant Lamp of Guidance
By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz
“O Prophet! We have indeed sent you as a Witness, as a Bearer of good news and as a Warner;
“And as a Summoner to Allah by His permission, and as a Radiant Lamp;
“Announce to the faithful the good news that there will be for them a Great Grace from Allah.” (Holy Qur’an 33:45-to-47)
We are on the threshold of the auspicious 17th of Rabi al-Awwal, the blessed birthday of the Best of creation. His identity is obvious, and needs no introduction.
As the Last and Greatest Messenger of the Almighty Creator Who hails him as “Mercy unto the (entire) creation” (Holy Qur’an 21:107), his universal mission of Islam was foretold by all the prophets of the past, including the prominent ones, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace upon them).
Thus, Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), whose 1,500th lunar anniversary of his blessed birth in Mecca amongst the monotheist Hasehmite Clan descended from Prophet Abraham’s (AS) firstborn son, Prophet Ishmael (AS), we are celebrating this year, is a Witness in the Divine Court over not just the Muslim Ummah but also over all the 123,999 emissaries sent by God for guidance of human societies.
As the Giver of tidings of Paradise to the believers and as a Warner to the doubters of the dire consequences of disobedience to Divine Commandments that entail the Eternal Inferno, he remains a Radiant Lamp to this day.
This is fully evident by the magnetic pull of his dynamic personality that continues to attract the seekers of truth to Islam.
No wonder, part of the passages in the “Ziyarah” or standard form of salutation to Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) reads:
“Peace upon you O Repository of Revelation! Peace upon O Communicator of Allah’s Messages! Peace upon you O Radiant Lamp! Peace upon O Bearer of good tidings! Peace upon you O Warner! .... Peace upon you O Light of Allah (which is) sought for illumination! Peace upon you and your Pure, Immaculate, Righteous and True Guides (the Ahl al-Bayt).
“Peace upon you and your grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, and your father Abdullah! Peace upon your mother Amena the daughter of Wahb! Peace upon your uncle Hamzah the Chief of martyrs! Peace upon your uncle Abbas the son of Abd al-Muttalib, and your uncle and guardian Abu Talib! Peace upon your cousin Ja’far who flies in the eternal paradise!
“Peace upon you O Muhammad! Peace upon O Ahmad! Peace upon you O Allah’s Testament to the former and the latter generations, the Foremost in obeying the Lord of all the worlds, the Guardian over His Prophets and the Seal of His Prophets, the Witness over His creation, the Intercessor with Him.”
In the light of the wordings of this salutation, reason says, we should refer to family accounts of his birth, since narrations from those who had witnessed the events at his birth and passed them down from father-to-son, are more reliable than the hearsay of the companions he acquired at the age of 40 years and after, or the wives he had to marry out of social necessity as a 53-year old widower in the last ten years of his life.
Thus, according to Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) – his dearest cousin, ward, son-in-law, and Divinely-designated Vicegerent who was personally groomed by him a decade before he proclaimed his universal mission of Islam – on the birth of the Prophet the idols installed by the Arabs in and around the supreme edifice of monotheism, the Holy Ka’ba, fell headlong to the ground.
According to household accounts the Prophet’s virtuous mother, Amena, says that at the birth of her son, an invisible voice echoed in the house, saying: “The best of creation is born. Name him Muhammad (SAWA).”
His Ahl al-Bayt, whom God has made immune from any blemish and uncleanness (Holy Qur’an 33:33), further say: "When the newborn was brought to Abdul Muttalib (AS) he took him in his arms and said: “I praise and thank Allah Who blessed me with such a handsome (grand)son who surpasses all children.”
Then the monotheist grandfather composed a poem praising the newborn’s grace.
The Prophet’s 6th Infallible Heir, Imam Ja’far as-Sadeq (AS), has said that on the birth of his illustrious ancestor, Fatema bint Asad (SA) – the mother of Imam Ali (AS) – rushed to her husband Abu Talib (AS) and gave the good news of the birth of a radiant nephew to him. She also described strange things about the wonderful birth. Abu Talib (AS) said: “After thirty years a son will be born to you too who will be like this newborn in every aspect, except prophethood.”
Abu Talib (AS) told his wife that her son Imam Ali (AS) will be the “Wasi” (Testamentary Legatee) of this newborn – Prophet Muhammad (SAWA).
Those pseudo Muslims, wrongly accusing the Prophet’s Guardian and Uncle, Abu Talib (AS), who till the last years of his life fiercely protected his nephew from the plots of the pagan Arabs, of lacking faith in Islam, should read properly read Hadith and History in order to achieve salvation.
It is outside the scope of this brief newspaper column to mention the prayers of Prophet Abraham (AS) for Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), the prophecy of Prophet Moses and Prophet Isaiah about the Last Prophet, the tidings of Prophet Jesus of the coming of the “Comforter” (Hmda or Ahmad), and the predictions in the sacred texts of the Zoroastrians and Hindus about the prevailing over all the world of the universal creed of Islam.
“O Children of Israel! Indeed I am the Prophet of Allah to you, to confirm what is before me of the Torah, and to give the tidings of the Prophet to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.” (Holy Qur’an 61:6)
In short, since we are celebrating the birth of the Best of creation, we should scientifically probe the exemplary life of the Best of Creation; the legacy he left, for whom, and did those who claimed to be the political representative of the Prophet of peace, follow his advice and formula for unity, especially the following hadith:
“I am leaving behind among the you the Thaqalayn (Two Weighty Things); the Book of God (Qur’an) and my progeny the Ahl al-Bayt; hold fast to them and you will not go astray, for the two never separate with each other even when they return to me at the Fountain (of Kowthar on Resurrection Day).”
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Hearty Felicitations on the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA)