Part Three: Muhammad’s Prophethood or Divine Messengership

 

 

In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

And from Him do we seek help

 

INTRODUCTION

It was Suratu’l-Fatiha of the five daily canonical Prayers and the first part of the declaration of testimony of belief—I bear witness that there is no deity but God—which urged me to write Part Two of this Ray. I have now been prompted to write this Third Part by the second phrase of the declaration of belief, that is I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and by the following sublime verses at the end of Suratu’l-Fath, which contain five miraculous predictions.

He it is Who has sent His Messenger with the Divine guidance and the Religion of truth that He may make it prevail over all religions. God suffices for a witness. Muhammad is the Messenger of God; and those who are in his company are firm and unyielding against unbelievers, and compassionate among themselves. You see them (constant in the Prayer) bowing down and prostrating, seeking favor with God and His approval and good pleasure. Their marks are on their faces, traced by prostration. This is their description in the Torah; and their description in the Gospel: like a seed that has sprouted its shoot, then it has strengthened it, and then risen firmly on its stem, delighting the sowers (with joy and wonder), that through them He fills the unbelievers with rage. God has promised all those among them who believe and do good, righteous deeds forgiveness (to bring unforeseen blessings) and a tremendous reward. (48:28–29)

The details, explanations, and documented proofs concerning these verses can be found in The Nineteenth Letter—Miracles of Muhammad— and in the Arabic al-Hizbu’n-Nuri. Here I will write briefly and concisely, under the title of Indications, a summary of al-Hizbu’n-Nuri and a sort of translation of the part of the declaration of God’s Unity or belief, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, which I constantly recite after the Prayers and which was written in Arabic.

 

 

FIRST INDICATION

Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, who responded with universal worship and teaching to the manifestation of the Lordship of the Owner of the universe and His perpetual Divinity and infinite bounties, is as necessary for the universe as the sun. For he is the supreme master of humankind and its greatest Prophet, the pride of the world, and the one honored with the Divine address: “Had it not been for you, I would not have created the worlds.”112 The Muhammadan Truth—the truth he has as Muhammad—was the reason for the world’s creation, and is its result and most perfect fruit. Also, the realities connected with the universe, such as its true perfections, its consisting in enduring mirrors held up to the All-Beautiful and Gracious One of Majesty, the manifestations of His Names, the duty-bound works of His wise, purposeful Acts, and His most meaningful missives, its bearing the seed of a permanent world, and the fact that it will result in the Hereafter and a realm of happiness for which all conscious creatures yearn—all these realities connected with the existence of the universe are realized through the Supreme Truth possessed by Prophet Muhammad and his mission as God’s Messenger. Since this is so, the universe testifies most powerfully and decisively to his Messengership. Moreover, in order to be saved from non-existence, nothingness, eternal execution, and absolute annihilation, all of humankind, indeed all conscious beings in general, and the Muslims, and the world of Islam in particular, constantly and earnestly seek the eternally permanent life with all the powers of their comprehensive natures, with the tongues of all their capacities, and with all their prayers, worship, and entreaties. Since it is the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and the Muhammadan Truth which most powerfully give definite glad tidings of eternal life, this both testifies to the Messengership of Muhammad and the Muhammadan Truth and confirms that he is the pride of humanity and the noblest of creatures. Furthermore, in accordance with the rule: “The cause is like the agent or doer,” the equivalent of all the good deeds done every day by hundreds of millions of believers are recorded in Muhammad’s record of good deeds, and the single person of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, reaches a degree (of perfection) commensurate with that which comes from the reward given in return for the universal worship and effulgence of billions of righteous worshippers. This is another most powerful testimony to the Messengership of that noble being, upon him be peace and blessings.

 

SECOND INDICATION

The following indicates more than twenty testimonies, on which I reflect during my regular recitations:

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful and trustworthy in his declarations and promises, through the testimony of his sudden appearance with a perfect Religion, religious life, and Shari‘a, despite being unlettered, and with the firmest belief, creed, and worship, and with the most elevated call, supplications and prayers, and with the most encompassing message, and with complete steadfastness and fruitful, unequaled wonders.

 

THE FIRST TESTIMONY: This is a proof of Muhammad’s Messengership which comes from eleven of his attributes and states that are mentioned in the expressions above.

It is an unequaled attribute of Prophet Muhammad that although he did not know how to read or write, he appeared suddenly and without experience with a Religion which has left in amazement the learned people and philosophers over fourteen centuries and has won first place among the revealed religions. It is also unequaled that Islam, which emerged from his reports, words, actions, and conduct, has at all times educated and trained the spirits, souls, and minds of hundreds of thousands of millions of people, and propelled them to spiritual advancement. Moreover, another unequaled attribute of his is that he appeared with a Shari‘a so sublime that for fourteen centuries it has ruled one-fifth of humankind with its just laws, leading them to material and spiritual progress. Also, that person, upon him be peace and blessings, appeared with a faith, creed, and conviction so elevated that all the people of truth have been illuminated and nurtured by his degree of belief and all have affirmed unanimously that his belief was the highest and strongest. Furthermore, the fact that the opposition of his numerous opponents at that time never caused him the slightest anxiety, doubt, or suspicion about his message and mission also shows that he is unequaled in strength and universality of belief. His worship of God and his servanthood to God were such that they encompassed all degrees and dimensions of worship and servanthood. Without imitating anyone, he observed the subtlest points and dimensions of worship, fulfilling his duty of worship perfectly, even at times of the greatest disturbance and dangers. This was also one of his incomparable attributes. He displayed such excellence in offering prayers, supplications, and entreaties to his Creator that up to the present no one has ever been able to reach the level he reached, despite fourteen centuries of successive and mutually supportive thoughts and learning. For example, in the supplication al-Jawshanu’l-Kabir, which takes as intercessor a thousand and one Divine Names, he so describes and acquaints us with his Creator that nothing like it has since existed. In short, he is also unequaled in his knowledge of God. He called people to Islam with such steadfastness and declared his Messengership with such boldness that although his people, his uncle, the great powers of the world, and the followers of the former religions all opposed him and were hostile against him, he did not show the least fear or hesitation; rather, he challenged them all and accomplished his task successfully. This too was an unparalleled attribute.

These eight wonderful, unparalleled attributes form a very powerful proof of his veracity and Prophethood. They also show that there is complete certainty concerning his utter seriousness and conviction, and his perfect trustworthiness and truthfulness. Every day in the tashahhud the world of Islam, in millions of tongues, declares: “Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and also God’s mercy and blessings.” It declares its submission to his Prophethood, and confirmation of the glad tidings of eternal happiness that he brought. Saying gratefully and with a sense of obligation: “Peace be upon you, O Prophet!” in the face of the sure way which leads to eternal life, which all humankind seeks with a profound yearning, every member of Muslim community visits him in spirit and congratulates him in the name of hundreds of thousands of millions, indeed, billions of people.

 

THE SECOND TESTIMONY: This is one of twenty universal testimonies and contains many others within it.

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy, through the testimony of all truths of belief to his absolute truthfulness…

That is, the truths of the six pillars of belief and their realization in life decisively testify to the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings. For the collective personality of his life as Messenger,  the basis of all his claims, and the essence of his Prophethood are these six pillars. Thus, all the evidence that testifies to the truth and realization of the pillars of belief prove that Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, is certainly God’s Messenger and that he was truthful in his claims. The proofs of the other pillars of belief for the truth of the Hereafter are set forth in Fruits of Belief and the Addenda of The Tenth Word; and every pillar together with its proofs forms a proof of his Messengership.

 

THE  THIRD  UNIVERSAL TESTIMONY: This is a testimony that contains thousands of other testimonies.

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy, through the testimony of his person, upon him be peace and blessings, which is corroborated by his hundreds of miracles and perfections and by his excellent character.

That is: this person, upon him be peace and blessings, was proof for himself as brilliant as the sun. Through his hundreds of miracles and perfections and through his most elevated character and morality he testifies to his own Messengership and truthfulness most powerfully.

In the treatise entitled Miracles of Muhammad, around three hundred of his miracles have been proved based on sound narrations. For example, as declared explicitly in the verses, And the moon split (54:11), and When you threw, it was not you who threw; but God threw (8:17), the moon split in two at the movement of a single finger of his hand;113 with the same hand he cast a handful of dust at an attacking enemy army, which then turned back and fled, blinded by the dust.114 Water flowed forth in five springs from the five fingers of the same hand, providing enough to drink for a whole army of thirsty men, who testified to this miracle. This amazing event was repeated twice more in other places.115 Also, small pebbles glorified God in the palm of that same hand, as though they were human, saying: “All-Glorified is God!”116 Hundreds, indeed, according to verifying scholars, around a thousand miracles such as these are related in sound narrations, some of which appear in a number of reports from a number of reliable persons.

Also, according to friend and foe alike, Prophet Muhammad had praiseworthy attributes and a most excellent character;117 it is also agreed unanimously and confirmed to the degree of certainty based on experience by all the people of truth who have attained spiritual perfection through following him and attained the truth with certainty of observation that the attainments of Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, were of the very highest order. The historic spiritual and intellectual achievements of the Muslim world, attained through reliance on the Religion he communicated, as well as the truths of mighty Islam itself, form another proof of his extraordinary perfections. This surely means that this person, upon him be peace and blessings, testifies in a most brilliant and universal fashion to his own Messengership.

 

THE FOURTH TESTIMONY: This comprises numerous powerful testimonies.

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy, through the testimony of the Qur’an, with all its innumerable truths and proofs.

That is, with its innumerable truths and proofs, the Qur’an of miraculous exposition testifies to the Messengership and truthfulness of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings.

The Qur’an is miraculous in forty respects and has illuminated fourteen centuries, governing through its unchanging laws one-fifth of humankind. Also, from the time of its revelation, it has challenged all of its opponents to produce its like, or even an approximation of its shortest sura, yet no one has ever dared, or been able to produce anything like it. Furthermore, and as explained convincingly in The Supreme Sign, the Qur’an’s six aspects are luminous and cannot be penetrated by doubts: its being God’s Word is endorsed by six supreme levels of proof, and is based on six unshakeable truths. Also, the Qur’an is recited with enthusiasm and respect at every moment by hundreds of millions of tongues, and is inscribed most reverently in the hearts of thousands of memorizers. The belief and testimony of all Muslims are based on the Qur’an’s testimony to all the truths of belief and Islam and all the sciences of belief and Islam flow forth from it. Just as it affirms all the previous revealed Scriptures (in their original forms as being God’s Words), so too the Qur’an is affirmed by them. Thus, with all its truths and all the proofs of its being God’s Word, the mighty Qur’an testifies to the veracity and Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings,.

 

THE FIFTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH UNIVERSAL TESTIMONIES

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy, through the testimony of al-Jawshanul-Kabir with the sacredness of its indications, the Risale-i Nur with the strength of its proofs, the past with the unanimity of its signs indicating a future Prophet, and the future with the confirmation of thousands of its events.

That is to say, al-Jawshanu’l-Kabir, which indicates a thousand and one Divine Names explicitly or allusively, is a wonderful supplication that in one respect proceeds from the Qur’an. It is superior to all the other supplications written or compiled and recited by those who have advanced in knowledge of God. It is an invocation that the Archangel Gabriel advised the Messenger to read during a war. Thus, all the truths it contains and all of its perfectly accurate descriptions of the Lord testify to the Messengership and truthfulness of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings. In addition, with its one hundred and thirty parts, the Risale-i Nur, which is based on the Qur’an and establishes all the truths of Muhammad’s Messengership rationally and logically, teaches matters that are philosophically abstruse and complex in the most reasonable and easy fashion, as though they were clearly observable or discernible with eye. Thus, the Risale-i Nur is also a universal proof of the Messengership and truthfulness of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings.

Also, the past—before his birth—was a universal witness to his Messengership, for numerous extraordinary incidents known as irhasat  that occurred before the beginning of his Prophethood and which are related in the histories and books of his biography narrated through reliable channels testify to his Messengership soundly and reliably. These are of many different sorts. Some of them will be mentioned below, while others are related in the form of sound narrations in The Nineteenth Letter (Miracles of Muhammad) and in various historical works.

For example, close to the time of the Prophet’s birth, upon him be peace and blessings, stones rained down from the claws of a flock of ababil (a kind of bird unknown in Arabia) on the heads of the troops of Abraha, the Yemenite governor of Abyssinia, who had come to destroy the Ka‘ba;118 on the night of Prophet Muhammad’s birth, the idols in the Ka‘ba all toppled over,119 and the palace of the Persian Emperor Khusraw was destroyed.120

The fire of the Zoroastrians, which had been burning continuously for a thousand years in their fire temples, was also extinguished that night.121 Bahira the monk122 and Halima as-Sa‘diya reported that clouds shaded Muhammad when he was a young boy.123 Numerous incidents such as these foretold his Prophethood before he actually declared it himself.

Also, there were numerous events that he predicted would occur in the future, that is, after his death. Some were predictions concerning his Family and Companions and Muslim conquests. Around eighty of these are mentioned in The Nineteenth Letter (Miracles of Muhammad), together with their authentic sources, on the basis of historical documentation and the Prophet’s biography. All of these predictions—for example, the martyrdom of ‘Uthman, may God be pleased with him, while reading the Qur’an;124 the martyrdom of Husayn, may God be pleased with him, at Karbala;125 the conquests of Syria,126 and Iran,127 and Istanbul;128 the emergence of the ‘Abbasid dynasty129 and its eventual destruction at the hand of Genghis and Hulagu130—have turned out to be true. And so, with other predictions of his that either have come true or are yet to come true in order to prove the veracity of Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, the future—the time after his death—testifies also in powerful and universal fashion to Muhammad’s Messengership and the truthfulness of his claim.

 

THE NINTH, TENTH, ELEVENTH, AND TWELFTH TESTIMONIES

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy through the testimony of Muhammad’s Family to his truthfulness through the power of their belief at the degree of certainty based on experience, and of his Companions with their perfect belief at the degree of certainty based on vision or observation, and of the purified scholars with the power of their investigations and verifications at the degree of certainty based on knowledge, and of the spiritual poles with their agreement on his Messengership based on their verified illuminations and unveilings.

That is to say, among the universal testimonies to Muhammad’s truthfulness in his claim and veracity are included the following:

The ninth: The members of the Family of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, are foremost in being honored with the Prophet’s description: “The scholars of my community are like the Prophets of the Children of Israel”131 (in the mission they shoulder and perform, apart, of course, from receiving Revelation). They are also mentioned together with the Prophets of the Family of Abraham, upon him be peace and blessings, when God’s blessings and peace are called upon them. With their absolutely certain belief based on experience, their spiritual unveilings, illuminations, and visions, with their wonder-working and the extraordinary guidance they have given the Muslim community, the great saints, spiritual poles, and imams among this Family, such as ‘Ali, Hasan, Husayn and the rest of the Twelve Imams from the Prophet’s Family,132 and individuals such as Ghawthu’l-A‘zam ‘Abdu’l-Qadir al-Jilani, Ahmad ar-Rufa‘i, Ahmad al-Badawi, Ibrahim ad-Dassuqi, and Abu’l-Hasan ash-Shadhili133—all of these ratified through their belief and testimonies the veracity of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and his Prophethood.

The tenth: Despite being illiterate Bedouins in the beginning, the Companions of the Prophet, regarded as the most elevated and esteemed group after the Prophets, drew on the light of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and in a short time came to govern with justice a very wide area of the Middle East and Northern Africa, ruling a Caliphate that stretched from Spain to China. They defeated the world-powers of the time and became masters, teachers, judges, and just administrators of the then advanced, educated, and civilized nations, turning that century into an age of happiness. After scrutinizing every aspect of the Prophet’s conduct, and through the power of the many miracles they witnessed with their own eyes, they abandoned their former enmities and the ways of their forefathers, with many of them—Khalid ibn Walid134 and Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl135 for example—giving up the tribalism of their fathers. They embraced Islam with theirs hearts and souls and, in a truly devoted and self-sacrificing fashion, believed in the veracity of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and his Messengership to the degree of certainty based on vision or observation. This is an unshakeable, universal testimony.

The eleventh: Based on thousands of categorical arguments and definite proofs, thousands of punctilious scholars, including particularly the top-level religious scholars who are described as the purified, truthful ones, and brilliant philosophers such as Ibn Sina (Avicenna)136 and Ibn Rushd (Averroes),137 have, while each following their own way, believed in the veracity of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and his Messengership at the degree of certainty based knowledge. Theirs is such a universal testimony that no one can oppose them unless their intelligence is the combination of all these great thinkers, or perhaps even greater.

The Risale-i Nur may be counted among the last of these innumerable witnesses.

The twelfth: Based on illumination, vision, and unveiling or spiritual discovery, the spiritual “poles,” who are among the most profound of the veracious ones and each of whom has drawn into the circle of his instruction a significant part of the Muslim community, causing them to advance spiritually with their extraordinary guidance and wonder-working—all of these poles have discerned in their spiritual progress that Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was the Messenger of God, that he was absolutely truthful in his claims, and that his veracity was of the very highest degree. Their unanimous and mutually supportive testimony to his Prophethood forms such a confirmation that no one who has not yet attained a degree of perfection as elevated as all of them together is able to annul it.

 

THE THIRTEENTH TESTIMONY: This consists of four universal, definite, and extremely extensive proofs:

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy through the testimony of the past with the agreed predictions of seers, certain classes of spirit beings, and gnostics, and through the testimony of the glad tidings of Muhammad’s Messengership of the previous Messengers and Prophets in the previous holy Scriptures.

A brief explanation of the above passage will be given here; a more detailed account, including relevant chains of transmission, can be found at the end of Miracles of Muhammad (The Nineteenth Letter).

There are sound narrations, some of which are based on several chains of reliable narrators, in the histories and books of Hadith and biography, which report that the most prominent and famous among humankind in past times, in particular the Prophets and the gnostics, seers, and certain jinn, unanimously, explicitly, and repeatedly foretold the coming of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings. The most powerful and certain of these thousands of predictions are detailed in The Nineteenth Letter titled Miracles of Muhammad. Referring the reader to that treatise, here let us just give a brief indication:

Out of hundreds of verses in the revealed Scriptures—the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospels—twenty verses that are almost explicit with regard to the Prophethood of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, are mentioned in The Nineteenth Letter (Miracles of Muhammad). Husayn alJisri138 discovered a hundred verses alluding to Muhammad’s Prophethood in these Books, despite the numerous corruptions and alterations the Jews and Christians had made in them, and recorded them in his book.

According to a sound narration transmitted by numerous reliable narrators, the seers, and in particular Shiqq and Satih, who by means of jinn and spirit beings were able to give information about the Unseen,139 explicitly predicted the appearance of a Prophet in the Hijaz, and that he would destroy the Persian Empire. Similarly, Ka‘b ibn Lu’ayy, a gnostic and one of the Prophet’s forefathers, together with many other gnostics and saints of the time, such as the rulers of Yemen and Abyssinia, Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan and Tubba, clearly predicted the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, proclaiming it in their poetry.140 The most significant and veracious of these are included in The Nineteenth Letter. One of those kings even said: “I would prefer to be a servant of Muhammad than to rule this kingdom.”141 Another said: “If I had lived long enough to see him, I would have been his cousin.”142 By this he meant that he would have been a self-sacrificing servant and minister to him, like ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib was. The histories and books of the Prophet’s biography have included all these prophecies, showing that the gnostics affirmed the veracity of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, and his Messengership with a powerful, universal testimony.

Also, like these gnostics and soothsayers, spirit beings called hatif, which are heard but not seen, made explicit predictions about Muhammad’s Messengership. Moreover, by foretelling his Prophethood, many other creatures and objects even affirmed his Messengership and his truthfulness: animals that were sacrificed to idols and, with the inscriptions on them, the idols themselves and gravestones bore witness, testifying through the tongue of history.

 

THE FOURTEENTH TESTIMONY: The following, originally written in Arabic, indicates the powerful testimony of the universe:

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy through the testimony of the universe to the all-embracing Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, with all its aims and the Divine purposes in it, for the realization of these aims and the Divine purposes in it, the establishment of its value and the performance of its duties, the manifestation of its beauties and perfections, and the realization of the wisdom in its truths are dependent upon the existence of humankind and the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings,  as his Messengership revealed these and was the means of their realization. Had it not been for his Messengership, this perfect universe, this great and eternally meaningful book, would have existed for nothing: its meanings would have vanished and its perfections would have been totally diminished, which is impossible for numerous reasons.

In The Supreme Sign (The Seventh Ray), the above passage is interpreted in the following way:

Just as the universe indicates its Maker, Author, and Inscriber—the One Who has created it, organized it, and Who administers it, and the One Who, in decorating, determining, and planning it, directs and maintains it as though it were a palace, a book, an exhibition hall, or an art gallery, there also must be an elevated herald, a truthful discoverer, an exacting master, and a faithful teacher who will understand the Divine purposes in creation and make them known. This demands the existence of one who will teach the instances of the wisdom of Lordship that are inherent in the universe’s changes and transformations, and who will announce the results of its dutiful motions, proclaiming its innate value and the perfections of the beings within it. This herald, discoverer, master, and teacher will also answer incredible questions, such as: From where do these beings come? Where are they going? Why are they coming here? Why do they stay only a short while and then depart? In this way he will interpret the meanings of that macro-book and the phenomena of its creation and operation, all of which indicate its Creator and Director. Thus, the universe testifies to the veracity of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, in a powerful and universal fashion; it was he who performed these duties better than anyone, and he was the highest and most loyal official of the Creator of the universe. The universe thereby affirms: “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

Through the light which Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, brought, the nature, value and perfections of the universe come to be known, and the duties, results, and value of the beings within it, together with the fact that they are dutiful officials of the Creator, can be perceived. From the top to the bottom, the universe has proved to be a collection of Divine missives full of meaning, an embodied Qur’an of the Lord, and a magnificent exhibition of the All-Glorified One’s works. It would otherwise have become a desolate, confused ruin—a terrifying place of mourning, crumbling under the veils of the darkness of decay, death, non-existence, and nothingness. It is in consequence of this truth that the perfections of the universe, the wise changes and transformations in it, and its eternal meanings all declare in powerful fashion: “We bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God!”

 

THE FIFTEENTH TESTIMONY: The following, originally written in Arabic, consists of numerous sacred testimonies. It indicates the sacred testimony to the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, which issues from the acts of the Lordship and deeds of the Mercifulness of the Necessarily Existent One, Who directs and controls the universe, and through Whose Will, Command, and Power all change and transformation occur, as well as all motion and rest, all life and death throughout the universe, from the minutest particles to the planets.

Muhammad is the Messenger of God, ever truthful in his declarations and promises, and trustworthy through the testimony of the universe’s Owner, Creator, Director, and Controller to the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, with the deeds of His Mercifulness and acts of His Lordship. Included among the deeds of His Mercifulness are the facts that God sent down the miraculously eloquent Qur’an to Muhammad, that He displayed a great variety of miracles through Muhammad’s hand, that He helped and protected Muhammad in all circumstances and perpetuated the Religion and all its truths, and that God raised Muhammad to a position of high respect and honor, favoring him above all creatures; all of this is visible and observable. Among the acts of His Lordship are that God made Muhammad’s Prophethood a spiritual sun in the universe, He made the Religion that Muhammad brought the source and index of all the perfections of His servants, God made his Truth a comprehensive mirror to the manifestations of His Divinity and God entrusting Muhammad with duties as indispensable for the existence of creatures in the universe as mercy, wisdom, and justice, and as necessary as food and water, and air and light.

Details of this most certain, extensive, and sacred testimony can be found in the Risale-i Nur; here we will give only a brief and concise meaning of it.

We see clearly that out of His general Acts and Deeds in the universe, in accordance with His Justice, Wisdom, Mercy, Favoring, and Protection, and as a usual practice of His Lordship, God Almighty protects the good and rains down blows on the wrongdoers and the mendacious.143 Thus, as demanded by “the acts of His Mercifulness:”

He revealed the miraculously eloquent Qur’an to Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings; He bestowed on him nearly a thousand miracles of varying sorts; He protected him with the utmost compassion in all dangerous circumstances and situations, even by means of a pigeon and a spider;144 He gave him complete success in all his duties; He has perpetuated his Religion together with all its truths, and caused it to prevail over the earth and humankind. By granting Muhammad a position of honor above all creatures, a permanent rank of acceptance superior to all the pre-eminent of humankind and, as agreed by friend and foe alike, the highest character and qualities, God Almighty made one-fifth of humankind his community. All of these testify most decisively to his veracity and Messengership. We also see from the point of view of “the acts of Lordship” that the Director and Controller of this world has made the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, a sun in the universe, and as explained convincingly in the Risale-i Nur, He has dispelled all kinds of darkness with it and shown its luminous truths, and made all conscious beings, indeed the whole universe, rejoice at the glad tidings of eternal life. He has also made his Religion a source and index of the perfectibility of all the acceptable people of worship and a sound program for their acts of worship. Again, as demonstrated by the Qur’an and al-Jawshanu’l-Kabir, He has made the Muhammadan Truth or the Truth of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, which is his collective, spiritual personality, a comprehensive mirror held up to the manifestations of His Divinity. Furthermore, as indicated by the above-mentioned truths, and by the fact that every day for fourteen centuries he has gained the equivalent of all the good deeds of all his community, and by his works and the traces of his deeds in human social and spiritual life He has made him the highest leader, master, and authority of humankind. Moreover, God Almighty sent Muhammad to the aid of humankind with sublime, sacred duties, and has made human beings as in need for his Religion145 with all its truths as they are for mercy, wisdom, justice, food, air, water, and light.

And so, given that God Almighty has offered sacred testimony to the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, with the twelve universal, decisive proofs which have so far been mentioned and summed up in the fifteenth testimony, is it at all possible that the Messengership of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, which has been supported by these twelve testimonies of the universe’s Owner, Who is not indifferent to the ordering of the wing of a fly or the petal of a flower—is it at all possible that this Messengership should not be a sun of the universe?

Each of the fifteen universal testimonies mentioned comprises numerous testimonies, and through the tongue of miracles the third one even comprises nearly a thousand, thus proving the proclamation “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God” most powerfully and definitively, and demonstrating its reality, value, and importance, so that five times a day in the tashahhud—the seated section of the Prayer—the world of Islam announces this fact to the universe with hundreds of millions of tongues. Also, billions of believers have accepted and affirmed without hesitation that the Truth of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, which is the basis of that proclamation, is the original seed of the universe, the reason for its creation, and its most perfect fruit. Furthermore, the universe’s Owner, all-exalted is His Majesty, has made that spiritual collective personality of Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, the loudest herald of the sovereignty of His Lordship and the accurate discloser of the talisman of the universe and the riddle of creation; He has made him a shining exemplar of His Favor and Mercy and an eloquent tongue of His Compassion and Love; He has made him the most powerful bringer of the glad tidings of everlasting life and happiness in the eternal realm, and He has made him the final and greatest of His Messengers.

One who is not content with a truth such as this or who does not attach any importance to it should understand what a great error, foolishness, and crime they are committing and what a terrible loss they are suffering.

Thus, as indicated in Part Two, just as Suratu’l-Fatiha offers decisive proofs for the truth of Divine Unity which is expressed in the profession: “I bear witness that there is no deity but God,” which is recited in the tashahhud, so too, this Third Part sets forth powerful evidence for the reality of Messengership as professed in the phrase: “I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God,” which is also recited in the tashahhud, and stamps it with innumerable confirming signatures.

O Most Merciful of the Merciful! In veneration of Your noblest Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, favor us with his intercession, enable us to follow his Sunna, and make us neighbors to his Family and Companions in the eternal realm of happiness! Amin. Amin. Amin.

O God! Bestow blessings and peace on him, and on his Family and Companions, to the number of the letters of the Qur’an, both those recited and those written. Amin.

All-Glorified are You! We have no knowledge save what You have taught us; surely You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Said Nursi

112 ‘Aliyyu’l-Qari, al-Asraru’l-Marfu‘a, 385.

113 al-Bukhari, “Manaqib” 27; Muslim, “Munafiqun” 43–48.

114 Muslim, “Jihad” 81; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 1:303.

115 al-Bukhari, “Manaqib” 25; Muslim, “Fadail” 6, 7.

116 al-Bukhari, al-Tarikhu’l-Kabir, 8:442; al-Bazzar, al-Musnad, 9:431.

117 The fourth Caliph ‘Ali, who was a hero of courage, says: “When we were frightened at war, we took shelter behind God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings.” Histories record that even his enemies confirmed that Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, was the most courageous of people.

118 Ibn Hisham, as-Siratu’n-Nabawiyya, 1:168–173; Ibn Sa‘d, at-Tabaqatu’l-Kubra, 1:91–92.

119 al-Bayhaqi, ad-Dalailu’n-Nubuwwa, 1:19; as-Suyuti, al-Hasaisu’l-Kubra, 1:81.

120 al-Bayhaqi, ibid., 1:19, 126; Abu Nu‘aym, ad-Dalailu’n-Nubuwwa, 139.

121 al-Bayhaqi, ibid., 1:19, 126; Abu Nu‘aym, ibid., 139.

122 at-Tirmidhi, “Manaqib” 3; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 2:672.

123 Ibn Sa‘d, at-Tabaqatu’l-Kubra, 1:112; Qadi ‘Iyaz, ash-Shifa, 1:368.

124 al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 3:110; Qadi ‘Iyaz, ash-Shifa, 1:339.

125 Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 3:242, 256; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 3:197.

126 al-Bukhari, “Fadailu Madina,” 5; Muslim, “Hajj” 496–497.

127 al-Bukhari, “Jihad” 157; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 5:86–87.

128 Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 4:335; al-Bukhari, al-Tarikhu’l-Kabir, 2:81; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 4:468.

129 Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 1:209; al-Bayhaqi, ad-Dalailu’n-Nubuwwa, 6:517.

130 al-Munawi, Faydu’l-Qadir, 4:4; Ibn ‘Ashur, at-Tahrir wa’t-Tanwir, 8:423.

131 al-Munawi, Faydu’l-Qadir, 4:384.

132 The Twelve Imams are: ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, Hasan son of ‘Ali, Husayn son of ‘Ali, ‘Ali Zaynu’l- ‘Abidin son of Husayn, Muhammad al-Baqir son of ‘Ali Zaynu’l-‘Abidin, Ja‘far as-Sadiq son of Muhammad al-Baqir, Musa Kazim son of Ja‘far as-Sadiq, ‘Ali ar-Riza son of Musa Kazim, Muhammad at-Taqiy son of ‘Ali ar-Riza, ‘Ali an-Naqiy son of Muhammad at-Taqiy, Hasan al-Askari son of ‘Ali an-Naqiy, Muhammad al-Mahdi son of ‘Ali an-Naqiy. (Tr.)

133 Shaykh Hasan ash-Shadhili (1195–1258): One of the leading, most celebrated saints of Islam. He lived in Tunus and died during his last journey to Mecca for pilgrimage. He founded the Shadhiliyah, one of the most important Sufi brotherhoods. (Tr.)

134  Khalid ibn Walid (592?–642) is one of the most famous, invincible generals of human history. He was the commander in Makkan army who caused the Muslims’ setback at the second stage of the Battle of Uhud in 625. He embraced Islam after the Treaty of Hudaybiya in 627. He victoriously fought against the apostate dissidents after the death of the Prophet, defeated the Byzantines in Yarmuk, and conquered Syria and many cities in Anatolia. (Tr.)

135  Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl (d., 635), the son of Abu Jahl, was, like his father, one of the most refractory and bitterest enemies of Islam and God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. He became a Muslim after the conquest of Mecca. He was martyred at the Battle of Yarmuk. (Tr.)

136 Abu ‘Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna) (980–1037): One of the foremost philosophers, mathematicians, and physicians of the golden age of Islamic tradition. In the West he is also known as the “Prince of Physicians” for his famous medical text al-Qanun (“Canon.”) In Latin translations, his works influenced many Christian philosophers, most notably Thomas Aquinas. (Tr.)

137 Ibn Rushd, Muhammad ibn Ahmad (1126–1198 ce) was a master of early Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, Arabic music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy, geography, mathematics and physics. He lived in Spain, and died in Morocco. He was known in the West by his Latinized name, Averroes. He has been described as the founding father of secular thought in Western Europe. He wrote about 70 works in different fields of science. (Tr.)

138 Husayn al-Jisri (1845–1909) was born and mainly lived in Lebanon. He was well versed in Islamic sciences, and had an interest in natural sciences. He founded a madrasa where both kinds of sciences were taught. His thoughts greatly resembled those of Said Nursi about both religious and contemporary issues. His most famous work is Risalat-i Hamidiya. (Tr.)

139 Before Islam, God allowed some of jinn and other kinds of spirit beings to rise to the heavens in order to listen to the conversations of angels. They conveyed what they heard to seers, who are today called mediums. However, when the Qur’an began to be revealed, God no longer permitted jinn and other kinds of spirit beings to eavesdrop on angels. (Tr.)

140 See Ibn Hisham, as-Siratu’n-Nabawiyya, 1:29–30, 124–129, 158, 190–192; Ibn Sa‘d, at-Tabaqatu’l-Kubra, 1:158–159; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya, 2:244; al-Bayhaqi, ad-Dalailu’n-Nubuwwa, 1:126–130, 2:12; Abu Nu‘aym, ad-Dalailu’n-Nubuwwa, 90, 97–98, 125–128. (Tr.)

141 Abu Dawud, “Jana’iz” 58; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 1:461.

142 Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya, 2:166; Tafsiru’l-Qur’an, 4:145; al-Qurtubi, al-Jami‘ li Ahkami’l-Qur’an, 16:145.

143 Being devoid of a universal vision which can comprehend events with all their causes and results, we may not be able to discern Divine Justice in every event in the universe. While God Almighty executes absolute justice in the world with regard to people’s deeds connected with the worldly life—everyone gets whatever they deserve according to the Divine laws of the worldly life—He usually defers to the Hereafter the recompense of “religiously” good or bad deeds, even though He helps the true believers who follow His Path carefully and act in accordance with the Religion that He sent and the laws of the worldly life He has established. (Tr.)

144 Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Musnad, 1:348; ‘Abdu’r-Razzaq, al-Musannaf, 5:389; at-Tabarani, al-Mu‘jamu’l-Kabir, 11:407; 20:443.

145 In my old age and wretchedness, I perceived a millionth of the spiritual provision which Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, brought. If I had been able, I would have thanked him by calling God’s blessings and peace on him with millions of tongues. It was like this:

I suffer greatly from separation and decay, but the world and the things that I love in it leave me and depart. I know that I too will depart. And it is only by hearing from Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, the glad tidings of eternal happiness and everlasting life that I am saved from that severe pain and soul-searing despair and I find complete solace. In fact, when I say: “Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and God’s mercy and blessings!” in the seated section of Prayers, I am both paying allegiance to him, and declaring my submission and obedience to his mission, and offering him congratulations on his duty, and expressing a sort of thanks and response to the glad tidings he brought of eternal happiness. All Muslims offer these greetings five times every day.