The editor of a newspaper here has written that (Allaah forbid!) Rasulullaah SAW. was a new Muslim. He owner of the printing press that printed the newspaper is a Muslim. What now is the ruling concerning the person who wrote the article and the one who p Print

If Someone refers to as a 'New Muslim'

Q: Imaan-53 : The editor of a newspaper here has written that (Allaah forbid!) Rasulullaah SAW. was a new Muslim. He owner of the printing press that printed the newspaper is a Muslim. What now is the ruling concerning the person who wrote the article and the one who printed it?

Answer: It can never be the belief of a Muslim (Allaah forbid!) that Rasulullaah SAW. was a new Muslim and had led the first 40 years of his life as a Kaafir. This is the belief of the Jews, the Christians and the other enemies of Islaam. Therefore, the person who believes and propagates the belief that Allaah forbid!) Rasulullaah SAW. was a new Muslim opposes the beliefs of Islaam. He is blindly following the Christians and will go astray just as they are astray before leading others astray as well. It is necessary for them to repent and, in the interests of caution and chastisement, they need to renew their Imaan and Nikaah.

Mocking at Rasulullaah SAW. is not a simple sin and it is not permissible to appoint a person with such beliefs as the editor of the newspaper since he will mislead others. If the publisher printed the article with full knowledge of the contents of the article, he will also be a sinner and will need to repent as well.

A Hadith states that the first thing Allaah created from His light was the light of Rasulullaah SAW. Another Hadith states that the Sahabah RADI. Once asked Rasulullaah SAW. about when he was made a Nabi. Rasulullaah SAW. replied that he was made a Nabi at the time when Hadhrat Aadam ALY. had still not been given life, but only the mould of his body had been cast.' This makes it apparent that the Rasulullaah SAW. received the honour of Nubuwwah even before he was born and not after 40 years of his lifetime.

In a narration from Hadhrat Sha'bi SAW. it is reported that Rasulullaah SAW. had taken the pledge of Nubuwwah when Hadhrat Aadam ALY. Was still not alive., All of these Ahadeeth make it clear that although Rasulullaah SAW. was conferred with the mantle of Nubuwwah long before coming to this world, this Nubuwwah was made evident 40 gears into his life.

When Rasulullaah SAW. was just twelve years of age, he travelled to Shaam on business with his uncle Abu Taalib and other senior men of the Quraysh. En route, they camped near a place called Busra. A monk named Buhayra lived there and although the Arab caravan had travelled by there very often, he had never paid any attention to them. This time, however, he came down from his monastery to meet the caravan and looked intently at every member of the caravan. When his eyes fell on Rasulullaah SAW. he exclaimed, "This is the leader of both worlds. He is the messenger of the Rabb of the universe, whom Allaah has sent as a mercy to the universe."

"How do you know this?" the elders of the Quraysh asked the monk. He explained. "When your caravan came through the valle7, every tree and rock that you passed fell into prostration. This they do only for a Nabi. I also recognise him by the seal of prophethood found between his shoulders that resembles an apple." The monk then left and had a meal prepared for the entire caravan. When everyone came to eat, the monk noticed that Rasulullaah SAW. was not present and sent for Rasulullaah SAW. Rasulullaah SAW. had been grazing the camels at the time, where a cloud had been shading him all the time. When Rasulullaah SAW. arrived, the others had already occupied the shaded areas and there was no shade for him. He therefore sat down on one end. As soon as he sat down, the shade of the tree turned towards him. Noticing this, the monk remarked, "Look how the shade of the tree has turned to him!

Buhayra then asked who Rasulullaah SAW. guardian was and when Abu Taalib was pointed out to him, he instructed Abu Taalib to send Rasulullah SAW. back home immediately. Buhayra provided the bread and olive oil for he journey and Rasulullaah SAW was then sent back in the company of Hadhrat Abu Bakr RDI and Hadhrat Bilaal RDI Imaam Tirmidhi RAH states that this narration is Hasan.

When Rasulullaah SAW. was 25 years of age, he was again travelling to Shaam and passed by Busra. As Rasulullaah SAW. was resting beneath the shade of a tree, a monk called Nistwaar saw him there. When the monk saw all the signs he was looking for, he exclaimed, "This is him! This is the final Nabi!"

These two incidents and other similar ones make it evident that Rasululla ah SAW. possessed the signs of prophethood from an early age, otherwise these monks would not have been able to recognise him. It therefore follows that he was endowed with the mantle of prophethood from the beginning (which manifested itself only at 40).

A narration states that when Hadhrat Aadam ALY. made the mistake that he did, he beseeched Allaah thus, "O Allaah! I plead with You to forgive through the medium of Muhammad SAW. How do you know of Muhammad SAW. when he is yet to come?" Allaah asked. "O Rabb!" Hadhrat Aadam ALY. replied, "When You created me with Your hand and blew my soul into me, I raised my head and saw 'Laa Ilaaha Illallaah Muhammadur Rasulullaah' inscribed on Your Throne. I realised then that You would join to Your name only the name of someone whom You love more than all the else." "You are right, "O Aadam," Allaah confirmed, "l do love him more than all of creation and since you have asked for forgiveness through him. I have forgiven you. Had it not been for Muhammad SAW. I would not have created you even.
Had Rasulullaah SAW. been (Allaah forbid!) a 'new Muslim' and without Imaan before his 40th year, would Allaah have attached his name to His own?

The gist to it all is that Rasulullaah SAW. was a Nabi even before Hadhrat Aadam ALY. spirit even entered his body. Prophethood and Kufr are the anti thesis of each other and can never co-exist in the same person. Therefore, a person who is a Nabi can never be a Kaafir at the same time. Since it has been established that Rasulullaah SAW. always was a Nabi, how can it be possible that he could ever be a new Muslim'?

Furthermore, the prophethood of Rasulullaah SAW. was inherently within him and not because of any other prophet, whereas the prophethood of all the other Ambiyaa ALY. were because of Rasulullaah SAW. Just as Rasulullaah SAW. was the Nabi of this Ummah, he was also the Nabi of all the Ambiyaa ALY. this is the essence of the verse'.
Remember the time When Allaah took the pledge with (all) the Ambiyaa (saying) "(Take hold of) Whatever I give you of the Book (divine scriptures) and wisdom, and then when there comes to you a Rasool Muhammad SAW. confirming what is with you, you must believe in him and you must assist him." He (Allaah) said, "Do you agree and accept My pledge?" They replied, "We agree" He said, "Then bear witness and I will be a Witness with you." I Now when all the Ambiyaa ALY. pledged to believe in and to follow Rasulullaah SAW. is it possible that they would pledge to believe in and follow someone who is not a Nabi or (Allaah forbid!) someone who is not a Muslim?
And Allaah knows best what is most correct.

Fatawa Rahimiyyah (Vol.1)

?