Characteristics of Prophets and Messengers; P.1
Selections from the Book ‘’Lot (peace be upon him) and his Mission in Confronting Corruption and Sexual Deviance’’ …
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (13)
The prophets (peace be upon them) are the elite and leaders of humanity. They are from the descendants of Adam, possessing human traits and qualities, yet Allah Almighty chose them and bestowed upon them the honor of being His messengers to mankind. He also endowed them with certain characteristics and attributes that distinguish them from other humans. However, these characteristics do not remove them from their humanity nor from their servitude to Allah Almighty. As some of the messengers said to their people in their discussions with them: {Their messengers said to them, "We are only men like you, but Allah confers favor upon whom He wills of His servants. It has never been for us to bring you evidence except by permission of Allah. And upon Allah let the believers rely} [Ibrahim: 11]. Indeed, Allah Almighty has profound wisdom in making the prophets from among humans. If they were not so, there would be no basis for emulating them or taking them as examples. And what is concealed from us of wisdom is much greater.
Some scholars have spoken about the characteristics of the prophets (peace be upon them), so that we may know their rights, appreciate their status, and show them the reverence, respect, etiquette, love, loyalty, and fidelity they deserve. This entails following them and emulating their lives and guidance. Before mentioning these characteristics, it is good to recognize some inherent human qualities of the prophets that every nation criticized their prophet for, as mentioned in the Holy Quran: {And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, "Has Allah sent a human messenger?"} [Al-Isra: 94].
It is indeed astonishing how disbelievers failed to recognize the blessing of Allah Almighty in making the messengers human beings from among themselves. They denied this blessing and marveled at it, despite its gentleness and kindness towards the servants. Allah sent messengers from among their own kind to explain to them what they could comprehend about Allah and to enable them to fulfill their call. If messengers were sent to people from angels or from another kind, people would not have been able to understand or take from them. They would have said, "They are not of our kind, so we neither accept nor comprehend from them". Thus, turning away, both initially and ultimately, is attributed to their desires, and we seek refuge in Allah from that.
One of the human attributes of the prophets, peace be upon them, is:
- They possess the characteristics inherent in human nature, such as having bodies that require food, drink, and marital relations. They also have spouses, offspring, parents, mothers, and relatives.
- They experience human ailments, hardships, forgetfulness, and sleep.
- They feel satisfaction, anger, joy, and sorrow.
- They face trials and tribulations like all humans, and indeed, the prophets endure some of the severest trials.
- They do not have knowledge of the unseen except what Allah has informed them.
- They engage in human activities and occupations, such as herding, trade, and craftsmanship, including the making of swords and armor.
- They possess none of the attributes of divinity or lordship; rather, they are servants of Allah, having attained the pinnacle of servitude. They disassociate themselves from any association of power or strength, relying solely on Allah and entrusting their affairs to Him.
With their participation in the human attribute, they have indeed realized human perfection in its highest form. Allah, in His wisdom, chose them, selected them, and nurtured them according to His will. Their hearts became the purest of human hearts, their minds the most refined, and their characters the most perfect and noble. Their knowledge of their Lord and their worship of Him surpassed that of any other human, and their faith was complete. Even in their physical appearance, they were the epitome of human perfection, with the most beautiful and ideal forms. Truly, Allah knows best where to place His message: {Allah is most knowing of where [i.e., with whom] He places His message} [Al-An'am: 124].
These qualities mentioned earlier are inherent to humanity, which they share with other humans. However, with His comprehensive knowledge and profound wisdom, Allah, in His grace, bestowed upon these elite individuals the blessing of prophethood and messengerhood. For this purpose, He endowed them with qualities and attributes that distinguished them from all other humans. They were favored and excelled over others, deserving the reverence, love, and obedience of people. It was obligatory for each community to obey their prophet in their specific Sharia law.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, Lot (peace be upon him) and his Mission in Confronting Corruption and Sexual Deviance, pp. 67-69.
- Educational Pauses in the Light of the Holy Qur’an, Abdul Aziz Nasser Al-Jalil, 3/30.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of ‘’Lot (peace be upon him) and his Mission in Confronting Corruption and Sexual Deviance’’ on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
