THE SIXTEENTH STEP: Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings

 

 

The traveler then addresses their own intellect, saying: “Since I am seeking the Creator and Owner of this universe by means of these creatures, I should first visit the most renowned of His creatures—one who, as confirmed even by his enemies, is the most perfect of them, and the most accomplished commander, the most celebrated ruler, the most exalted orator and possessor of the most brilliant intellect. I should visit the person who has illuminated the past fourteen centuries with his virtues and with the Qur’an: Muhammad the Arabian, upon him be peace and blessings. We should go together to the Age of Happiness in order to ask him about that which I seek.” And so the traveler enters that age together with their intellect and sees that, thanks to Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, this was an age of true happiness; this man had transformed a most primitive and illiterate people into the masters and teachers of the world and he had done this in a very short time by means of the light he brought.

The traveler says to their intellect: “First of all, we must know as a certainty the value of this extraordinary being, the veracity of his words and the truthfulness of his messages. Then we should ask him about our Creator.” And so the traveler begins to investigate. Here we will refer briefly to nine of the countless universal and conclusive proofs that the traveler finds. They are as follows:

FIRST: This person, upon him be peace and blessings, possessed all possible laudable virtues and excellent characteristics; this was affirmed even by his enemies. In addition, it has been reported through reliable channels of transmission that hundreds of miracles were performed by his hands, such as the splitting of the moon with a mere gesture, or causing many soldiers to flee by tossing a handful of soil at them—miracles which are referred to in the verses, And the moon split (54:1), and It was not you who threw when you threw, but God threw (8:17). He also famously quenched an entire army’s thirst with water that flowed forth in abundance from his fingers. In fact, more than three hundred of these miracles have been set forth with decisive proofs in The Nineteenth Letter, known as Miracles  of Prophet Muhammad. Readers wishing to learn about the Prophet’s other miracles should refer to that treatise. And so the traveler concludes: “One who in addition to his most noble characteristics and perfections performs such clear miracles must be the most truthful in speech. How could he ever lower himself to lies and trickery, which are the vices of vile people?”

SECOND: Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, holds in his hand the Decree of the universe’s Owner, namely the mighty, glorious Qur’an, which has been accepted and confirmed in every century by hundreds of millions of people. The fact that the Qur’an is the word of the Creator of the universe and is miraculous in at least forty aspects has been explained with convincing proofs in The Twenty-fifth Word, known as Miraculousness of the Qur’an. Readers interested in learning more about those aspects should refer to that treatise. Understanding this, the traveler says: “The translator, expounder and conveyor of such a Decree of pure truth could not lie, for that would violate the Decree and betray its Owner.”

THIRD: Consider the following:

• Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, appeared with a Sacred Law, a Religion, a code of worship, a mode of prayer, a message and a way of belief the like of which has never existed. And without him, none of these could ever have come to pass. The peerless Law brought by that unlettered Prophet has ruled over one-fifth of humankind for fourteen centuries in a just and precise manner.
• Islam, which originated in and is represented by the Prophet’s deeds, sayings, states, and example, is also without peer. Regardless of time or place, it has served hundreds of millions of people as a guide and competent authority in their lives. It has taught and trained their minds, illuminated and purified their hearts, trained and refined their souls, and perfected their spirits.
• Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, is the best example of the mode of worship that is prescribed by Islam; he is the most God-conscious and God-revering person of all. He worshipped with the utmost care and attention, down to even the minutest details, during times of great peril and throughout a life of constant struggle and activity. He imitated no one in his worship, and perfectly combined the alpha and omega of spiritual evolution.
• His prayers and his knowledge of God are similarly unparalleled: with al-Jawshanu’l-Kabir alone, which is just one of his thousands of prayers and supplications, he describes his Lord with such a degree of knowledge that no saint or gnostic has ever been able to achieve a similar degree, despite their having been able to build upon the achievements of their predecessors. Even a cursory study of just one of the ninety-nine parts of al-Jawshanu’l-Kabir will show that there can never be another one even remotely like it.
• While conveying his message and calling his people to the truth, the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, displayed such steadfastness and courage that he never faltered or hesitated. And this was despite the hostilities of the surrounding powers and religions, as well as those of his own people and tribe, including even his uncle. He successfully challenged the whole world, thereby making Islam superior to all other religions and systems. This proves that no other person can equal him in his preaching to humankind or his calling them to the message of truth.
• His belief was so extraordinarily strong and assured, so miraculously developed and ingrained in his heart, and so elevated and world enlightening that none of the ideas, beliefs, philosophies or spiritual teachings prevalent at the time could engender any doubt within him. Despite the opposition and hostility of his enemies, they were unable to shake him or make him unsure of his cause. Moreover, the saints of all ages, first and foremost his Companions, who have advanced in spirituality and through the various degrees of belief, have always benefited from his faith, which they admit to be of the highest degree. This proves that his belief is also without peer.

The traveler who seeks God thus understands and, with his intellect, concludes that lying and deception can have had no place in the traits of one who brought such a unique law and peerless Religion, who displayed such a wonderful form of worship and extraordinary excellence in prayer, whose preaching was admired the world over, and whose belief was at a degree of miraculous perfection.

FOURTH: Just as the consensus of the Prophets forms very strong proof of God’s Existence and Oneness, it also represents a sound testimony to that exalted person’s truthfulness and Messengership. For history confirms that he possesses to the utmost degree all of the sacred attributes, miracles and duties that indicate a Prophet’s mission and veracity. Just as the previous Prophets predicted his coming by giving glad tidings of him in the Torah, the Gospels, the Psalms, and other Scriptures—more than twenty of the clearest of these joyous predictions have been set forth in The Nineteenth Letter—they also confirmed him with their own missions and miracles, attesting to the truthfulness of this person, who is the most perfect in carrying out the mission and tasks of Prophethood, in effect putting their signature to his claims. The traveler perceives that all of the previous Prophets bore witness to this person’s truthfulness through the unanimity of their actions, just as they testified to God’s Oneness through verbal consensus.

FIFTH: Having attained truth, perfection, the rank of working wonders, insight into the reality of things, and spiritual discovery and vision by following that person’s deeds and principles, thousands of saints bear witness unanimously to God’s Oneness and to the truthfulness and Messengership of that person, who is their master. The fact that through the light of their sainthood the saints witness some of the truths he proclaimed concerning the World of the Unseen, and through the light of belief they believe in and confirm all of these at the degrees of certainty of knowledge or certainty of vision or certainty of experience, demonstrates in a manner more brilliant than the sun the extent of the truthfulness and rectitude of that person, who is their master.

SIXTH: Millions of exacting, meticulous, purified, and truthful scholars and sages, all of whom have reached the highest station of learning through the teaching contained in the sacred truths that have been brought by that unlettered person, through the sublime sciences which he introduced, and through the knowledge of God which he discovered—all prove and affirm with unanimity not only God’s Oneness, which is the foundation of Prophet Muhammad’s mission, but also the truthfulness of that supreme master and the veracity of his words. This is proof of his Messengership and truthfulness that is as clear as daylight.

SEVENTH: After the Prophets, the Family and Companions of Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, are the most elevated in insight, discernment, and perfection; they are the most renowned, respected, pious, and keen-sighted members of humankind. Having thoroughly scrutinized all of the Prophet’s thoughts and his hidden and apparent states and conditions, they have concluded unanimously that he was the noblest and most truthful and honest person in the world. The traveler understands that such an unshakable affirmation of him from such extraordinary people proves the truth of his cause, just as daylight proves the existence of the sun.

EIGHTH: This universe indicates the Maker, Author, Inscriber and Designer Who determined and fashioned it and Who controls and administers it like a palace, a book, and an exhibition of marvels. Given this, there should therefore exist an exalted herald, a truthful revealer, an exacting master, and a veracious teacher who knows and makes known the Divine purpose behind the creation of the universe, who teaches others about the Divine wisdom that underpins the universe’s purposeful motions and transformations, who declares its inherent value and the perfections of the creatures in it, and who expounds the meanings of this great cosmic book. The traveler comes to realize that the one carrying out such duties most perfectly is the most truthful in his cause, serving as the most trusted and exalted officer of the Creator of the universe.

NINTH: Behind the veil of creation is One Who, through these purposeful and skilled works, wills that His perfect skills and artistry be displayed. Behind that veil there is One who wills to make Himself known and loved through the countless adorned creatures that He brings into being, and to evoke praise and thanksgiving in return for His boundless precious bounties, encouraging worship with gratitude and appreciation for His Lordship by means of His affectionate and protective sustaining of life, as well as by satisfying the most delicate tastes and appetites that His creatures possess. He also wills to demonstrate His Divinity through His wise and awe-inspiring creativity and through the magnificent, majestic, and purposeful activity that is displayed, for example, during the changes of seasons and the alternation of day and night—all of this so that humankind may come to believe in, submit to, and obey Him in His Divinity. Furthermore, He wills the manifestation of His Justice, Rightfulness, and Uprightness by protecting virtue and the virtuous while destroying evil and those who perpetrate it, and by annihilating liars and oppressors with heavenly blows.

Thus, the most beloved creation and the most devoted servant in the sight of that Unseen Being will certainly be the one who serves the abovementioned Divine purposes to the highest degree. This will be one who discloses the mystery and talisman of the creation of the universe, who always acts in the name of His Creator, and who asks Him alone for help and success, and receives both. This is Prophet Muhammad al-Qurayshi, upon him be peace and blessings.

The traveler addresses their reason or intellect, saying: “Since these nine truths testify to the truthfulness of that person, he must undoubtedly be the source of humanity’s honor and the pride of the world. Therefore he is worthy of being called ‘the Pride of the World’ and ‘the Glory of Humankind.’ Moreover, the Qur’an, that miraculous Word and Decree of the All-Merciful which this person held in his hand has drawn half of the old world into its magnificent spiritual domain. Together with the Messenger’s personal perfections and elevated virtues, it shows that he is the most important being in the world, and accordingly that his words about our Creator are the most important.”

Come now and see! Based on the strength of his hundreds of miracles and thousands of sublime, established truths contained in Islam, his sole aim was to prove and bear witness to the Necessarily Existent Being’s Existence and Oneness, and to proclaim Him with all His Attributes and Names. He is the “spiritual sun” that enlightens the universe, our Creator’s most brilliant proof and the “Beloved of God.” Each of the following forms of great, truthful, and unshakable consensus affirms and corroborates the witness that he bears:

First: The unanimous confirmation of the illustrious community known and celebrated as Muhammad’s  Family and descendants, among whom are thousands of spiritual poles and supreme saints who have such keen spiritual insight that they can even penetrate into the Unseen. Imam

‘Ali, for instance, said: “Were the veil to be lifted from the Unseen, my certainty would not increase.” And then there is ‘Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, who observed God’s Supreme Throne and the Archangel Israfil’s awesome form while still on this earth.

Second: The unanimous confirmation of the Companions, which was based on a belief so strong that they were prepared to sacrifice their lives and properties, their parents and their tribes for its sake. Although brought up among a primitive people and in a climate of ignorance devoid of any positive notions about social life or administration, devoid of a guiding Scripture and immersed into the darkness of the uncivilized era when there were no Prophets, these people began to follow in Muhammad’s footsteps and soon became the masters, guides, and just rulers of the most civilized and socio-politically advanced peoples and states of their time.

Third: The unanimous confirmation, which is based on certainty of knowledge, of innumerable exacting and profound scholars among his Community. Each century has seen thousands of people like these who have become extraordinarily advanced in every branch of science and art.

Thus, this person’s testimony to God’s Existence and Unity is so universal and unshakable that even if all beings hostile to it were to unite, they would still be unable to challenge it. Such is the conclusion reached by the traveler. In reference to the lesson which the traveler learned in that school of light while visiting the Age of Happiness in their mind, it was said in The Sixteenth Step of The First Station:

There is no deity but God, the Necessarily Existent One, the Single and Unique, Whose necessary Existence in His Unity is demonstrated clearly by the Pride of the World and the Glory of the children of Adam, through the majesty of the Qur’an’s sovereignty, the splendor of Islam’s inclusiveness, the multiplicity of his perfections, and the sublimity of his moral qualities, as confirmed even by his enemies. Again, he bears witness through the strength of hundreds of miracles that prove his truthfulness and which have been firmly established, and through the strength of thousands of evident and decisive truths contained in his Religion, as affirmed by the consensus of his illustrious, light-diffusing Family and descendants, the agreement of his Companions with penetrating sight and prudence, and the concord of the scholars of his Community with their enlightening proofs and insight.

Said Nursi