Home

Main Menu

Sections

It is the belief of the Berelwi Ridha Khan Molvis that Rasulullaah SAW. was not a human being and that anyone who claims that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human being has (Allaah forbid!) left the fold of Islaam. Please clarify. PDF Print E-mail
Imaan and Aqaa'id - Rasool

Was Rasulullaah SAW. not a Human Being?

Q: Imaan-94 : It is the belief of the Berelwi Ridha Khan Molvis that Rasulullaah SAW. was not a human being and that anyone who claims that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human being has (Allaah forbid!) left the fold of Islaam. Please clarify.

Answer: It is a fact without any doubt that Rasulullaah SAW. and all the Ambiyaa ALY. were human beings. This is clearly proven by the Qur'aan and the Ahadeeth and any person who refutes this is really rejecting the Qur'aan and the Ahadeeth.

1) A Hadith of Bukhaari and Muslim quote an essential message that Rasulullaah SAW. delivered to his Ummah when he said, "Never transgress the limits with regard to your belief in me as the Christians have transgressed the limits concerning Isa bin Maryam ALY. I am Allaah's servant and His messenger, so refer to me as Allaah's servant and His messenger."

It is regrettable indeed that the people of Bid'ah today act contrary to this Hadith by denying the fact that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human being. The Qur'aan has repeatedly announced this fact and Rasulullauh SAW. has also been exhorted to make this announcement so that his Ummah may be cognisant of this fact and not be misguided to elevate him to the rank of Allaah. Allaah states:

(2) "Say, "My Rabb is Pure! Iam but a human and Rasool

(3) 2. A verse of Surah Kahaf (verse 110) and Surah HaaMeem Sajdah (verse 6) state:
'' (O Muhammad SAW. Say (to the people,), "l am but a human being (a mortal) like yourselves (neither an angel nor divine light). Revelation comes to me that your Ilaah is but One Ilaah"

4) The same affirmation was made by the other Ambiyaa ALY. as well For example a verse states, "Their Rusul told them, "we are but humans like yourselves, but (this does not prevent us from being Rusul because) Allaah favours whoever He wills from His bondsmen (and chooses them to be Rusul).

5) A Hadith states that Rasulullaah SAW. made the following du'aa, O Allaah! I am but a human being who gets angry just as other humans do. So if there be anyone whom I have harmed in any physical or verbal manner or whom I have cursed, then convert all of this into mercy, purification and a means of gaining proximity to You."

6) Another Hadith reported by Hadhrat Ummu Salamah RADI. States that when two quarrelling parties brought their dispute before Rasulullaah SAW. he addressed them saying. "I am but a human being. When disputants bring their cases before me, it may occur that some of you are more eloquent than others and, thinking that such people are in the right, I may rule in their favour. Therefore, every person in whose favour I rule that he receive a right belonging to another Muslim, he should note that this is a portion of Jahannam for him. He may therefore accept it or decline it."

7) Hadhrat Raafi bin Khuday RADI. reports that when Rasulullaah SAW. arrived in Madinah, the people used to cross-fertilise their dates (to increase production). When they explained to Rasulullaah SAW. what they were doing, he advised them it would be best if they did not continue with the practice. However, When it was brought to his notice that crop production had diminished (after abandoning the practice), Rasulullaah SAW. said, "l am but a human being. When I instruct you concerning matters of you: Deen, then hold fast to it (because it is from Allaah) and when instruct you with regard to your worldly affairs, then I am but a human being (and can err)."

8) In a lengthy Hadith by Hadhrat Zaid bin Arqam RADI. he states that in a sermon that Rasulullaah SAW. delivered to them near a well between Makkah and Madinah, Rasulullaah SAW. said, "Listen well O people! I am but a human being and my Rabb's messenger shall soon arrive and I will have to respond to his call. I am therefore leaving two important things with you ..."3

9) When he erred in his salaah, Rasulullaah Fdi said, "l am but a human being who errs just like you people err. You should therefore correct me when I err.
Hadhrat Aa'isha RADI. said, "Rasulullaah SAW. used to mend his own shoes and clothing and carry out domestic chores just as anyone of you does at home." She then added, "He was a human being just as any other.
Hadhrat Mujaddid Alf Thaani RAH. said, "O Brothers! Despite being a personality if the highest calibre, Rasulullaah SAW. was a human being." He also stated that the Ambiyaa ALY. always made it clear that they were human beings like everyone else.

A couplet from the renowned Qasidah Burda states: "The limits of our knowledge indicate that that he (Rasulullaah SAW. was human and that he was the best of all Allaah's creation." A poet says, "To cut a long story short, you (O Rasulullaah SAW.) are the second only to Allaah."

Sheikh Ibnul Humaam RAH. who was an authority in Aqaa'id stated, "There is no doubt that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human whom Allaah sent to propagate the revelation sent to him."

The verses of the Qur'aan, the Ahadeeth and statements of our pious predecessors make it evident that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human being. It is therefore wrong to label anyone as a Kaafir who holds this belief. On the contrary, Allaama Aaloosi Baghdaadi RAH. has quoted a Fatwa in his famous Tafseer Ruhul Ma'aani stating that a person becomes a Kaafir by denying the fact that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human being. He states that Sheikh Wali'ud Deen Iraqi RAH. was once asked whether it was a requirement of Imaan to believe that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human being from amongst the Arabs or whether this belief was necessary for only a segment of the Muslim community to uphold. He replied that it certainly was necessary for the Imaan of every person to believe this. He also added that a person will also be a termed a Kaafir if he says something like, "I believe that Rasulullaah SAW. was indeed a Rasool and the Nabi of all creation, but I do not know whether he was a human being, an angel or a Jinn." This is because he is thereby denying the Qur'aan.

There is therefore no scope for doubting whether Rasulullaah SAW. was a human or not. However, it is only in being from the human race that Rasulullaah SAW is like other humans. The others can, however, not match him when it comes to qualities and perfection. The example is like ordinary stones and gems like rubies and diamonds. While all fall within the definition of stones, there can be no comparison between them.

Although he was human, Rasulullaah SAW.'s status is most high amongst them and he was also the purest of all and most perfect. No one can hope to match the inner and outer qualities and all the perfections of this world and the Aakhirah that Allaah bestowed on him. Not even any Nabi SAW. or any angel can compare to him. When they went on the Mi'raaj trip, even Hadhrat Jibra'eel ALY. admitted to his inferiority before Rasulullaah SAW.

Nevertheless, just as it is the requirement of Imaan to believe that Rasulullaah SAW. was a human, it is also necessary to believe that he is exalted above the status of other humans. In fact, the Ulem a are even unanimous about the fact that Rasulullaah SAW. excrement was not impure. His perspiration was more fragrant than musk and Ulema even state that (he was so pure that) his body never cast a shadow. And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah (Vol.1)