Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Salam alaikum Wa Rahmatullah

Brother,there has been a great deal of discussion in our community with conflicting opinions,so i wanted to ask you.Was the Prophet (SAW) Noor or Bashar?

Some people say that the prophet came to the world as Bashar,but his reality was Noor and he was not truly like us,or he would have not been able to withstand things like travel on the Buraq,the Wahy which Could crush a mountain,if it were revealed upon it as is mentioned in the Quran.

In light of the Quran and Sunnah,what is the correct position to take regarding this?

Jazakumullah Khair..

Bilal 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Was Prophet Noor or Human

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Subhanah clearly Declares in the Quran that He created the Angels from ‘noor’ or light; and He created humans from clay. Prophet Mohamed (saws) was, without an iota of a doubt, a ‘bashar’ (human being), and thus he (saws) was NOT created from ‘noor’. There is absolutely no truth to the statement that the Noble Prophet Mohamed (saws) was created from ‘Noor’ or Light!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 32 Surah As-Sajdah verses 7-8:

7                    He Who has made everything which He has created most Good. He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay.

8                    And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised.

Some people, in their excess, try to spread such false beliefs that the Prophet (saws) was not created like the other human beings, and thus try to propagate that he (saws) was created like the Angels from ‘noor’ or light! Because they believe that if the Prophet (saws) was only a human being, then what would be the difference between him and other human beings? So, in their excess, they try to invent falsehoods and say things about the Prophet (saws) and his self which have absolutely no basis in reality! People who claim such falsehood, in their excess and their ignorance, try to belittle the noble Prophet (saws) by claiming he was created from ‘noor’! The greatness and significance of the Noble Prophet (saws) lies in the fact that he, like all the other human beings, was created from clay, possessed the nature of a human being, and was bestowed with a ‘free will’ to choose like every human being; and the Noble Prophet (saws) chose to submit himself unconditionally to His Supreme Lord and Creator.

Had he (saws) been created from ‘noor’, he would have been an angel, who do not possess the nature of human beings, do not have to fight temptation like the humans, and do not possess a ‘free will’ to choose between obedience and disobedience! Greatness and magnificence is when one is bestowed with the weak nature of man, and this human being chooses to remain an obedient slave of his Lord and Creator!

Allah Subhanah has Himself commanded the Prophet (saws) to declare in the Glorious Quran, that he (saws) is no more than a ‘bashar’ (human being); the only difference being that he (saws) has been chosen as a Messenger of Allah, is directly inspired and guided by Allah Subhanah, and receives Revelations from the Lord of the Worlds.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 110:

Say (O Prophet) : "I am but a ‘bashar’ (human) like yourselves (but) the inspiration has come to me: that your Allah is one Allah: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord admit no one as partner."

Your Statement: he would have not been able to withstand things like travel on the Buraq

It is not as if the Prophet Mohamed (saws) had constant access to the ‘buraq’, or that he (saws) called for it whenever he wished to travel to distant lands! The ‘Israa’ or Night Journey of the Prophet (saws) upon the ‘Buraq’ was a special favor upon the Prophet (saws) by the specific Command of the Lord Most High and for a special purpose.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 1:

1 Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant (Prophet Mohamed (saws)) for Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose precincts We did bless in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the one Who Hears and Sees (all things).

At each and every other time in his (saw’s) life, whenever he (saws) wished to travel, he would use the modes of travel available to man and bear the exact same hardships of travel as other human beings.

Your Statement: the Wahy which Could crush a mountain,if it were revealed upon it as is mentioned in the Quran.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 59 Surah Hashr verse 21:

21 Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain verily thou would have seen it humble itself and cleave asunder for fear of Allah such are the similitudes which We propound to men that they may reflect.

The above declaration of Allah Subhanah means to signify the weight, value, significance and the utter magnificence of His Divine Revelation of the Glorious Quran which the Lord revealed as a favor and a guidance for all mankind. Under no circumstances does it mean to imply that the one upon whom it is revealed is created of ‘noor’, or one who is created of ‘noor’ alone could behold this Supreme Revelation of the Lord Most Majestic; especially when Allah Subhanah Himself in His Glorious Quran Commands the Prophet (saws) time and again to declare to mankind:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 110:

Say (O Prophet) : "I am but a ‘bashar’ (human) like yourselves (but) the inspiration has come to me: that your Allah is one Allah: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord admit no one as partner."

The greatness and significance of the Noble Prophet (saws) lies in the fact that he, like all the other human beings, was created from clay, possessed the nature of a human being, and was bestowed with a ‘free will’ to choose between obedience and disobedience like every human being; and the Noble Prophet (saws) chose to submit himself unconditionally to His Supreme Lord and Creator.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan