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Allah has guaranteed His final Prophet to have the highest rank in this  world and also the next. Not only does he enjoy his own status which  Allah grants him, but he is also given the right to intercede.  Companions of the Prophet longed to be by his side in this life and  craved his company in the world to come. Can we get to a position where  we are his neighbours in Paradise? What does Allah have in store for his  Beloved Prophet Muhammad?

The Quran makes it clear to Muslims that we are not a cult of  personalities. We do not worship people – neither Prophets, Messengers,  Imams, nor scholars. We worship Allah. However, as Prophet Muhammad  plays such a prominent role in Islam, some people felt that it would be  hard to continue on without him – however Allah would remind the Muslims  that we must continue – as death will occur to everyone. Do we have a  conclusive answer as to what happened to the Prophet? Did he die a  “natural death” due to old age? Was it the poison he was given during  the event which took place in the Battle of Khaybar? Or did someone  else, perhaps someone close to him, force something into his mouth while  he was sick and on his death bed in Medina as some hadith have clearly  noted? Do we know those people? Do we know their motives? Do we know if  they poisoned the Prophet in his last days on this Earth?

Commentary  of Surah Muhammad (47) - Summary and Points to Learn Per Verse. In Part  Two, we review verses nineteen (19) to thirty-eight (38).

The Prophet worked hard for 23-years – in Mecca and Medina – and brought  a faith to the Quraysh and the world a ‘new religion’ which would  feature teachings such as: Monotheism, Prophethood, and the Day of  Resurrection. In addition, he brought the practical rulings of praying,  fasting, pilgrimage, charity and many more. Was Islam “complete” and  “perfect” with these teachings or was there something else “missing”  that had to be declared AGAIN on a MASSIVE SCALE? What happened before  the death of Prophet Muḥammad after his farewell hajj in the event known  as Ghadeer Khumm?

Commentary of Surah Muhammad (47) - Summary and Points to Learn Per Verse. In Part One, we review verses one (1) to eighteen (18).

The Prophet was able to attract people to the message of Allāh based on  numerous factors – yes, Allāh ‘changes’ the heart, but at the same time,  the character of the Prophet played a huge role in the promotion and  progress of Islam. The Messenger had the best morals and etiquette – and  how is that not possible when he had the best teacher and nurturer –  Allāh. What did he do in his decision-making process and how does Allāh  describe this in the Quran? We discuss this role of the Prophet in this  episode.

Commentary of Verse 37-38 37. If He, Allah, should ask it,your wealth, of you and that you give it in His way, you would definitely covetand withhold it, and He would bring out your suppressed resentments. 38. You are surely those called upon to spend of your wealthin Allah’s cause; yet among you are some who are miserly. But whoever is miserly is miserly only to the depriving of his own soul. Allah is the All-Wealthy and Self-Sufficient absolutely independent of any need, and you are the poor in need of Him. If you turn away, He will substitute in your stead another people; then they will not be like you.

We all commit sins – against ourselves, against others and against  Allāh. What is the remedy to remove the effects of the sin and its  potential punishment in this life or the next? Simply put it is to turn  in repentance to Allāh. But, is repentance ONLY to go to Allāh and ask  Him or has Allāh told us to go to His Final Prophet, Muḥammad, and  implore him to ask Allāh on our behalf – taking him as an intercessor?

Commentary of Verse 36 36. The present, worldly life is nothing but a play and a pastime. If you truly believe and have God-consciousness (taqwā), He will grant you your rewards, and will not ask of you your wealth.

One of the most important acts of worship is not only spoken about in  the Quran, but there is an entire chapter named after it – Jumuah – the  Friday Prayers. This prayer is unique in that it is an obligation to  deliver TWO distinct sermons before the prayer. The form of the prayer  also differs from the five daily prayers and so it is meant to be the  focal-point for the Muslim community wherever they may be. How would it  have been to sit and listen to the Prophet deliver the sermon and how  would it have felt to pray this prayer behind him in his Masjid in  Medina?

Commentary of Verses 34-35 34. Those who disbelieve and block people from Allāh’s way, and then die unbelievers, Allāh will never forgive them. 35. So when in warfare with the enemy do not be faint of heart and cry out for peace which will bring you humiliationwhen you have the upper hand. Always bear in mind that Allāh is with you, and He will never diminish the reward of your good deeds.

Allāh does not do “acts of worship”, however there is an instance in the Quran in which it seems that Allāh engages in an act which He orders His Angels to perform as well as those who believe – and that is evoking prayers of peace upon Prophet Muḥammad. In reality, when Allāh engages in this act, He is sending down mercy and peace; when He orders the Angels as well as the believers to do this act, He is telling them to make prayers for peace and mercy to be showered upon the Prophet – AND to submit to him unconditionally.

Prophets of Allāh play multiple roles in society – they are not just messengers. Given that the Muslims had left Ethiopia and arrived in Medina, they needed to further develop their theology and one part of that is to know what role Prophet Muḥammad was playing in the religion. For this reason, Allāh gave the Muslims clear guidance as to what Prophets do – and he stated their difficult responsibility in multiple places within the Quran.

Commentary of Verse 33 [Please note that there were some technical issues for the first few minutes of this talk, however these were resolved] 33: O you who believe! Obey God (in all His commandments) and obey the  Messenger (in his execution of God’s commandments and in his own  directives), and do not let your deeds go to waste.

Commentary of Verses 31 and 32 31. And  We will most certainly try you so that We may mark out those among you  who strive hard (in God’s cause with their persons and their wealth),  and those who are steadfast (on His Path and patient through  adversities), and try your accounts (of deeds). 32. Those  who disbelieve and bar (people) from God’s way, and defy the Messenger  after (God’s) guidance has become clear to them – they will never be  able to harm (the cause of) God, and He will cause their deeds to go to  waste.

As the first contingent of Muslims that had left Mecca and settled in  Ethiopia were able to move to Medina, one of the first things that the  women of the community began to ask was if anything of the Quran had  been revealed specifically addressing women. Being away for so many  years, they were genuinely wondering how far had Islam progressed and  what had been revealed to the Prophet. When the women found that nothing  “specific” addressed them, Asma binte Umays came to the Prophet and  discussed this with him and the answer which Allāh provided to her is  preserved in the Quran.

Islam looks at the previous Prophets and their messages as being ONE message from the ONE God. Thus, groups such as the Jewish community, Christian community and to an extent others like the Sabians and Zoroastrians were considered as “People of the Book” – having been given messages from Allāh. Whereas they were original messages from Allāh, however, with the coming of the Quran and Prophet Muḥammad, their teachings ceased to be relevant and they were expected to “convert” to the new faith.

The Muslim life in Medina would see many changes in the relationship of  Prophet Muḥammad and Imam ʿAlī. The Commander of the Faithful would  propose to and eventually marry Fatima al-Zahra, the only daughter of  Prophet Muḥammad and would continue to shine by displaying his bravery,  courage, skills and many other traits. His status would also be added to  by Allāh when he was made the spiritual brother of Prophet Muḥammad –  in this world and in the world to come.

As Imam ʿAlī continued to grow and mature, his dedication to Islam and  to his spiritual brother, Prophet Muḥammad also grew. The Prophet relied  upon Imam ʿAlī in critical junctures of the growth of Islam in Mecca,  such as inviting and cooking food for the invitation to the Quraysh to  Islam in the event known as Da’wat Dhu’l Asheerah. He also showed his  love for Islam and his dedication by sacrificing his life on the bed of  Prophet Muḥammad as he left on the migration towards Medina.

Commentary of Verses 29 and 30 29. Or do those in whose hearts is sickness think that Allah will not bring to light their malice against the Divine Religion and its followers? 30. Had We so willed, We would have shown them, the hypocrites, to you, the Muslims, and you would have known them by their marks. But you certainly know them by the false tone of their speech, and Allah knows your deeds.