Boreal
From Merchant to Messenger
The Prophet Muhammad's struggle for legitimacy as revealed in the Koran
Muhammad’s Duty and His Fate if He Lied
5:99
The duty of the Messenger is only to deliver the Message, and Allah knows what
you reveal and you conceal.
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13:35 The likeness of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised is this: rivers flow beneath it, its produce and shade are permanent. That is the ultimate fate of those who guard against evil; but the fate of the unbelievers is the Fire.
13:36 And those (Messengers who came before) to whom We have given the Book rejoice in what was revealed to you but some of the factions deny a part of it. Say: “I have only been commanded to worship Allah and not to associate any one with Him; Him I call, and unto Him is my return.”
13:37 And thus We revealed it [to be a Book of] judgement in Arabic; and were you to follow their desires after the knowledge which came to you, you would have neither a guardian nor a protector [to save you] from Allah].
13:38 And We have sent forth Messengers before you and given them wives and progeny; but no Messenger had the power to come up with a sign except with Allah’s Permission. Every age as its own Book.
13:39 Allah blots out and confirms what He pleases; and with Him is the Mother of the Book.
13:40 And whether We show you part of what We promised them or cause you to die, your duty is to deliver the Message and it is for Us to do the reckoning.
13:41 Do they not see how We tackle the earth, causing it to shrink from its extremities? When Allah judges no one can reverse His Judgement. And He is Quick in calling to account.
13:42 Those who came before them did scheme, but Allah is Master of all scheming. He knows what each soul earns, and the unbelievers shall know to whom is the happy end in the Hereafter.
13:43 The unbelievers say: “You are not a Messenger.” Say: “Allah suffices as a witness between me and you, as well as those who have a knowledge of the Book.”
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69:38 No; I swear by what you see;
69:39 And what you do not see.
69:40 It is the speech of a noble Messenger;
69:41 And it is not the speech of a poet. How little do you believe! 69:42 Nor the speech of a soothsayer; how little do you remember.
69:43 It is the revelations from the Lord of the Worlds.
69:44 Had he (Muhammad) imputed to us falsely some statements;
69:45 We would have seized him by the right arm;
69:46 Then cut off his great artery.
69:47 None of you would have restrained us from him.
69:48 Surely, it (the Qur’an) is a reminder for the God-fearing.
69:49 And We know that some of you will denounce it as lies.
69:50 And it is surely a source of grief for the unbelievers;
69:51 And it is surely the certain truth.
69:52 So, glorify the Name of your Lord, the Sublime.
Muhammad, at one time, must have nearly let himself be convinced to change God’s Message.
33:1 O Prophet, fear Allah and do not obey the unbelievers and the hypocrites. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
33:2 And follow what is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed, Allah is Well-Informed about what you do.
33:3 And trust in Allah; Allah suffices as a Guardian.
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17:73 They were about to lure you away from what we have revealed to you, so that you might replace it with false inventions against Us. Then they would have taken you for a friend.
17:74 Had We not enabled you to stand firm, you might have inclined towards them a little.
17:75 Then, We would have made you taste double [the punishment in life] and double the punishment after death, and then you would not have found any supporters against Us.
17:76 They were about to provoke you so as to expel you from the land. Then they would not stay after you except a little while.
17:77 This was Our Way with those Messengers We sent before you, and you will not find any change in Our Way.
17:83 And when We are gracious to man, he turns away and withdraws haughtily; and if adversity touches him, he is in despair (he loses hope in Allah’s Mercy[15]).
17:84 Say: “Everyone acts according to his own manner, but your Lord knows well who is best guided on his way.
17:85 And they ask you about the Spirit (Gabriel, Moududi). Say: “The Spirit is of my Lord’s Command, and you have not been given except a little knowledge.”
Allah enabled Muhammad to stand firm in Revelation 17:74 but as He reminds him in Revelation 17:86, if He had wanted to, He could have manipulated him just like He manipulates those whom He doesn’t care to lead to the Straight Path—Revelation 17:84 notwithstanding—and he would have been a goner.
17:86 If We please, We certainly can blot out that which We have revealed to you; then you would find no guardian to assist you against Us.
17:87 [But it was left] as a Mercy from your Lord. His favours upon you have surely been great.
Muhammad may not only have saved himself by telling the Truth and not changing the messages Gabriel delivered, but also the Arabs, who, had they not eventually believed, might have suffered the fate of other civilizations with the audacity to deny Allah’s clear proofs.
10:13 And We have destroyed generations before you, when they did wrong and their Messengers brought them the clear proofs, but they would not believe. Thus We reward the wicked sinners.
10:14 Then We made you successors on earth after them, to see how you would behave.
10:15 And if Our revelations are clearly recited to them, those who do not hope to meet Us say: “Bring a Qur’an other than this one or alter it.” Say: “It is not for me to alter it of my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Indeed, I fear, if I disobey my Lord, the punishment of a Fateful Day (Judgement Day).”
10:16 Say: “If Allah had willed, I would not have recited it to you, and He would not have told you about it. I have dwelt in your midst a lifetime before it. Do you not understand?”
Muhammad remained steadfast in his duty to Allah, even as God revealed in Verse 39:36 that the unbelievers tried to frighten him with their idols.
39:36 Does not Allah suffice His servant? Yet they frightened you with those apart from Him (that is, idols). Whomever Allah leads astray will have no other guide.
39:37 And whomever Allah guides none will lead astray. Is not Allah All-Mighty, Vengeful?
39:38 If you ask them (the Meccans): “Who has created the heavens and the earth?”, they will reply: “Allah.” Say: “Do you see, then? What you call upon, apart from Allah, should Allah wish me ill, will they lift His ill? Or should Allah will a mercy for me, will they withhold His Mercy?” Say: “Allah suffices for me. In Him those who trust should put their trust.”
39:39 Say: “My people, act according to your ability. I am acting; then you will know.
A little-known fact is that Allah also sent messengers to the common people, the “common nations” in Revelation 62:2.
FRIDAY, OR THE CONGREGATION
60 Al-Jumu’ah
In the Name of Allah,
The Compassionate, the Merciful
62:1 Everything in the heavens and on the earth glorifies Allah, the King, the Holy One, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
62:2 It is He Who raised up from the common nations a Messenger of their own, reciting to them His Signs, purifying them and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although they had been in manifest error before that;
62:3 And others from them, who had not joined them yet. He is the All-Mighty, the Wise.
62:4 That is Allah’s Bounty which He imparts to whomever He pleases; and to Allah belongs the Great Bounty.
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[15] Yās (despair), to doubt Allah’s Mercy is the second greatest sin a Muslim can commit, the first being Shirk, associating other gods with Allah.