Which is Light (Nur)?

Which is Light (Nur)?

“From Allah has come to you a Light and a Book manifest.” (5:15)

Ibn Taymiya (in his Majmu ‘at al-fatawa [11:94, 18:366])argued that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, could not possibly be made of lighton the grounds that human beings are created from earth into which the spirit is blown, while angels alone are created from light.

To support his view, he cites the hadith from ‘A’isha, may Allah be pleased with her, in Sahih Muslim whereby theProphet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

The angels were created from light, the jinn from smokeless fire, and Adam from what was described to you (i.e. in the Qur’an).

When the Noble Messenger (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam) returned from the expedition of Tabuk inMadinah, his uncle Sayyiduna Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhu) sought permission to recite some lines of poetry in his praise.

The Holy Prophet (s) replied saying: “Recite, may your mouth remain fresh”.

Thereafter Sayyiduna Abbas (RA) began to recite his poetry, inside the Masjid, before the Beloved Messenger(SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and the gathering of approximate 30,000 companions (Radi Allahu Anhum Ajma'een) in which he mentioned the transition of ourProphet Muhammad (SallAllahu Alayhi wa Sallam) in theloins of the previous Prophets and how he blessed them all, thereafter he said:

“…The day you [the Prophet(s)] were born the sun rose over the earth and the horizon was illumined with your noor (Light); So we – in that radiance and that light and paths of guidance – can pierce through.” [Khasais al-Kubra, Vol. 1, Page 97]

Sayyiduna al-`Abbas ibn `Abd al-Muttalib said:

… Before you came to this world, you were excellent in the shadows and in the repository (i.e. loins) in the time when they (Adam and Eve) covered themselves with leaves.

Then you descended through the ages…When you were born, the earth shone and your light illuminated the horizon. We travel in that illumination and in the light and in the paths of right guidance.”

References:

1. Kitaab al-Wafa, Page 35, Vol. 1

2. Khasais al-Kubra, Page 97, Vol. 1

3. Insaan al-Uyoon page 96, Vol. 1

4. Seerat an-Nauwiya, Page 37

5. Jawahir al-Bihaar, Page 40

6. Anwaar al-Muhammadiyah, Page 62-84

7. Hujjatulahi Ala al-Alameen, Page 222

8. Muwahib al-Laduniyah, Page 23

9. Al Isti’aab Mustadrik, Page 327, Vol. 3

10. al-Bidaya wa an-Nihaya, Page 258, Vol. 2

11. Kitaab al Mallal wan Nahal, Page 240, Vol. 2

12. Majma'i Zawahid, Page 217, Vol. 8

13. Talkhees al-Mustadrik, Page 327, Vol. 3

14. Subl al Huda war-Rishaad, Vol. 5, Page 469

15. Ibn-e-Kathir’s Mawlad al-Mustafa, Page 29-30, Published in Lahore 1958.

Mullah Ali al-Qari in his ‘Sharh al-Shifa’ (1:364) says: it is related by Abu Bakr al-Shafi`i and Tabarani, and cited by Ibn `Abd al-Barr and Ibn al-Qayyim respectively in ‘al-Isti`ab’ and ‘Huda Nabiyy Allah (SallAllaho Alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallam)’.

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Qamarun

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"When the beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وصحبه وسلمwas born a radiant light accompanied him and he lifted his head towards the heavens and the mother ofSayyiduna ‘Uthman bin Abi al-Aas رضي الله عنه witnessedstars lowering themselves and a light so bright appeared that she could see nothing other than light."

[Musnad Imam Ahmad رضي الله عنه, Imam al-Bayhaqi رحمه الله in Dala'il an-Nabuwwah]

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Imam-e-Azam Abu Hanifa (radi Allahu anhu) praises

The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in the following poem:

"You are that Noor that the full Moon is brightened by your Noor and you are with your beauty and elegance a shining sun."

(Qasidaul Nu'maan)

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Imam Qazi Ayaaz in his
ASH-SHIFA states:

" The Holy Prophet Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim
did not possess a shadow in the brightness of the sun or in the moonlight, because he was Noor (light)".

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Sharaf al-Din al-Busiri the author of the ‘Burda’ said [in another poem]:

You (O Muhammad) are the light of every perfection, And no light takes its source from other than your light.” (p. 68-69)

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Syyedi Abul Hasan Al-Ashari said

"ALLAH Ta'ala, is NOOR, and the Soul of Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), is the refulgence of that light. The angels are Flower of this Light".

(Matale-ul-Masarrat, sharah of the Book DALAIL-UL-KHAIRAT)

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Note!

Baytullah = House of Allah

Kitabullah = Book of Allah

Ruhullah = Soul of Allah

Kalimatullah = Word of Allah

Noorullah = Light of Allah

None of these things are "part" of Allah!!

Can you say the Qur'an is part of Allah?

Na'udhu billah, how shirk is that!

It is mudaaf, the first thing belongs to the second.

The second point to be mentioned is that it is haram to say Allah is like anything, or to attempt to describe what Allah is (other than His glorious attributes).

Ayah: ليس كمثله شيء - There is nothing like Him

Wahabis throw the word 'shirk' around like crazy, but when it comes to Allah, they are happy to declare He has a Face,Legs and Shin... etc. - astaghfirullah!

Imam Bukhari (ra) says it means the Mulk (Kingdom) of Allah, and they say he is wrong! They also say Allah has hands, and arms, and literally sits on a throne, etc...

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FIRST CREATION?

As in At-Tirmidhi (ch. 'AI-Qadar),

a Hadîth with an approved chain says:

"أَوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ الْقَلَمُ"

"First Allah (عز وجل) created the pen (AI-Qalam)"

Wahhabiyyah said:

“Pen was first creation”?

Here is hadith in Bukhari which Proves Throne to be first creation, rather even Water to be created before Al-Qalam:
It states:

كان اللهُ ولم يكُنْ شيءٌ غيرُه. وكان عرشُهُ على الماء

First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and
(then He created His Throne).
His throne was over the water

[Translation by Muhsin Khan, Sahih Bukhari in English, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 414]

Imam Badr ud din Ayni (rah) says:

روى أحمد والترمذي مصححا من حديث عبادة بن الصامت مرفوعاً أول ما خلق الله القلم ثم قال أكتب فجرى بما هو كائن إلى يوم القيامة واختاره الحسن وعطاء ومجاهد وإليه ذهب إبن جرير وابن الجوزي وحكى ابن جرير عن محمد بن إسحاق أنه قال أول ما خلق الله تعالى النور والظلمة ثم ميز بينهما فجعل الظلمة ليلاً أسود مظلماً وجعل النور نهاراً أبيض مبصراً وقيل أو ما خلق الله تعالى نور محمد قلت التوفيق بين هذه الروايات بأن الأولية نسبي وكل شيء قيل فيه إنه أول فهو بالنسبة إلى ما بعدها

Translation:

Imam Ahmed and Imam Tirimdhi have narrated the Marfu hadith with Sahih Isnad from Ibada bin Samit (ra) which proves that Allah first created the Pen and then told it to write and It wrote everything which would happen till day of Judgement. Hassan, Ata and Mujahid have adopted this too, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Jawzi also have this Madhab whereas Ibn Jariri has narrated from Muhammad bin Ishaq that “ALLAH CREATED THE NUR AND DARKNESS PRIOR TO EVERYTHING” and then differentiated between them, There is also a saying that Allah first created “THE NUR OF MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM)” so how could reconciliation be brought in these different narrations? I say that they could be reconciled by saying that everything has its “RELATIVE PRIMACY” and they are first in relevance to things which came after them.[Umdat ul Qari, Sharh Sahih Bukhari, Volume No. 15, Page No. 109]

Could you please tell us, whether the classical scholars were Mushrikeen as they gave magnificent explanations in proving the Prophet (Peace be upon him) as the "FIRST CREATED NUR" and bringing conformity between other ahadith which Wahhabis misuse to deny this reality.

Wahhabiyyah say :

Another point raised is that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed to Allâh to make him Noor.

This is not an authentic translation of Hadîth, it has been misinterpreted.

According to the Arabic text, its real meaning is

" O Allâh, make for me, Noor."
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is asking for guidance and light through the darkness of Shirk and Evil.

Similar to his Du'â:

'O Allâh, forgive me'; 'O Allâh, guide me'; 'O Allâh, help me'.

If we accept this according to your explanation it means:

That the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was not 'Noor' before his Du 'â, that is why he made the Du 'â.

Is this not contradictory to your first point that his 'Noor' was the first creation?

The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

IhdiN-as Sirat al Mustaqeem

till he passed away... so does it mean he was not guided on the straight path till he died?

(Nauzubillah)

Note:

The Prophet asking for Nur above, below, right, left, ahead, behind and

"TO MAKE HIM LIGHT OR GRANT HIM LIGHT"

means the same that he was already Nur but he asked for it just like he asked for

Sirat al Mustaqeem!!!

Secondly this hadith is talking about literal Nur in every Juzz (part) of Prophet (Peace be upon him), had it beenshirk the Prophet (Peace be upon him) would have never asked for it.

Third we have many other ahadith which prove Prophet (Peace be upon him) as Literal Nur.

One such hadith is the following:
عن العرباض بن سارية صاحب رسول الله أنه قال سمعت رسول الله يقول إني عبد الله وخاتم النبيين وإن آدم لمنجدل في طينته وسأخبركم عن ذلك دعوة أبي إبراهيم وبشارة عيسى بي ورؤيا أمي التي رأت وكذلك أمهات النبيين يرين وإن أم رسول الله رأت حين وضعته نوراً أضاءت له قصور الشام

Translation: Hadrat Arbas bin Sariyah (RA) the companion of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) saying:

I am Abdullah (Slave of Allah), and last of all prophets, (I was a Prophet) when Adam was mingled in the mud, I inform you that I am the dua of my father Ibrahim (A.S) the tiding of Isa (A.S), and the dream of my mother which mothers of other prophets also used to see, My mother saw that from her emerged a Nur which illuminated the castles of Syria

Reference:
►Imam Baihaqi in Dalail an Nabuwwa, Volume No. 1, Page No. 80
Imam Hakim after narrating it said:

هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد شاهد للحديث الأول

Translation: This Hadith has a Sahih chain and is also a witness over the first hadith (which he mentioned in the chapter)
Reference:
►Mustadrak ala Sahihayn, Volume 2, Page No. 600

Let us also see the previous hadith which Imam Hakim showed
حدثنا أبو العباس محمد بن يعقوب حدثنا أحمد بن عبد الجبار حدثنا يونس بن بكير عن بن إسحاق قال حدثني ثور بن يزيد عن خالد بن معدان عن أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنهم قالوا يا رسول الله أخبرنا عن نفسك فقال دعوة أبي إبراهيم وبشرى عيسى ورأت أمي حين حملت بي أنه خرج منها نور أضاءت له بصرى وبصرى من أرض الشام
Translation: The Companions of Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked him: O Messenger of Allah, inform us about yourself, (The Prophet) said: I am the prayer of my father Ibrahim (A.S), the tiding of Isa (A.S), My Mother during her haml saw that a Nur emerged from her which made her see Syria [Mustadrak al Hakim, Volume 2, Page No. 600, Hadith No. 4174]

Imam Hakim (Rahimuhullah) said after this hadith
قال الحاكم خالد بن معدان من خيار التابعين صحب معاذ بن جبل فمن بعده من الصحابة فإذا أسند حديث إلى الصحابة فإنه صحيح الإسناد ولم يخرجاه
Khalid bin Madan (rah) is amongst the great Tabiyeen, the companion of Muadh bin Jabal (ra)… This hadith has Sahih Isnaad but it is not narrated (by Bukhari/Muslim) [Ibid]

The light mentioned by al-`Abbas is confirmed by the Prophet (S) himself in the famous narration describing his own birth. `Irbad ibn Sariya and Abu Umama - Allah be well-pleased with both of them - said that the Prophet (SAWS) said: "I am the supplication of my father Ibrahim, and the good tidings of my brother 'Isa. The NIGHT I WAS DELIVERED my mother saw a light that lit the castles of Damascus so that she could see them."

It is narrated by al-Hakim (2:616-617), Ahmad in his Musnad, and al-Bayhaqi in Dala'il al-Nubuwwa (1:110, 2:8). Ibn al-Jawzi cites it in al-Wafa' (p. 91, ch. 21 of Bidayat Nabiyyina (S), and Ibn Kathir in his Mawlid Rasul Allah (SAWS) and his Tafsir (4:360). Al-Haythami (8:221) said al-Tabarani and Ahmad narrated it, the latter with a fair (hasan) chain. Also narrated by Ibn Hisham in Sirat Rasul Allah (Dar al-wifaq ed. 1/2:166) and al-Tabari in his History.

Hafiz Ibn Kathir wrote that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “I am the prayer of Ibrahim, (upon whom be peace) the prophecy of ‘Isa (upon whom be peace). When my mother was pregnant, she witnessed so much light from her body, that she could see the palaces of Syria” [Tarikh Ibn Kathir, vol. II. Sirat al-Nabawiyya].

The Messenger of Allah’s uncle, al-‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, composed a poem praising the birth of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in which are found the following words, “When you were born, the earth was shining, and the firmament barely contained your light, and we can pierce through, thanks to that radiance and light, and path of guidance.”

The text is found in al-Suyuti’s Husn al-Maqasid, p 5; IbnKathir’s Mawlid, p 30, as well as in Ibn Hajar’s Fath al Bari. Ibn Kathir, in hisMawlid, p 19, writes,

“The Night of the Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) birth is a magnificent, noble, blessed and a holy night, a night of bliss for the Believers, pure, radiant with lights and of immeasurable price.”

In another narration of the above poem, we read that al-‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him:

O Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) I wish to praise you. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied: “Go ahead - may Allah adorn your mouth with silver!” He said a poem that ended with these lines: “And then, when you were born, a light rose over the earth until it illuminated the horizon with its radiance. We are in that illumination and that original light and those paths of guidance - and thanks to them pierce through.”

[Ibn Seyyed al-Nas narrated it with his isnad through al-Tabarani and al-Bazzar in Minah al-Madh (p. 192-193), also Ibn Kathir in al-Sira al-Nabawiyya (ed. Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid 4:51), and ‘Ali al-Qari in his Sharh al-Shifa’ (1:364) says it is narrated by Abu Bakr al-Shafi’i and al-Tabarani, and cited by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Isti’ab and Ibn al-Qayyim in Zad al-ma ‘ad.]

Sayyida Halima Sa'adiya (radi Allahu anha), the wet-nurse of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), believed the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) to be Noor. She said that when she used to feed the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) milk in his infancy, she never felt the need for a light in her house. (Bayaanul Miladun Nabwi; Tafseer Mazhari).

Sayyida Safiya (radi Allahu anha), the aunt of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) states that on the eve of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) she was present in his house. She said that she saw his Noor became more powerful than the light from the lamp. (Shawaahidun Nubuiwat)

Hazrat Ali Murtuza (radi Allahu anhu) said that when the Beloved of Allah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) spoke, Noor (light) used to be seen emerging from between his blessed teeth. (Muwahibul Laduniya; Anwaarul Muhammadiyah)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) states that when the beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) smiled, then the walls use to glow with his Noor. (Muwahibul Laduniya; Shifa Shareef)

Hadrat Anas (radi Allahu Anhu states, "The day on which Huzoor (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) arrived in Madinatul Munawwara then through his noor every thing in Madinatul Munawwara became bright."

Ref: [Tirmizi Shareef pg 202 vol 2 - Mishkaatul masabih pg 547 - Ibn Majah Shareef pg 119 - Tabqaate ibn Sa'ad pg 221 vol 1 - Muwahibul ladaniyah pg 68 vol 1 - Anwaarul Muhammadiyah pg 38 - Zirkaani Shareef, Seerate Halbia pg 234 vol 2 - Jawahirul Bihar pg 60 - Khasaisul Kubra pg 471 vol 1 - Madarijun Nabuiwat pg 81 vol 2 - Mustadrik pg 12 vol 3 - Talkheesul Mustadrik pg 12 vol 3]

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Ashraf Ali Thanwi has mentioned a Hadith in his book نشر الطیب فی ذکر النبی الحبیب صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم with reference of:

Ahkam bin Al-Qattan that Hazrat Ali bin Al-Hussain (Zainul Abdeen) narrated from his father Hazrat Hussain (رضی اللہ عنہ) and he narrated from his father (Hazrat Ali رضی اللہ عنہ) that the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) said:

“I was a noor (light) in front of my Lord some forty thousand years before the birth of Hazrat Adam (علیہ السلام).”

There are some more traditions which prove that the noor of the Prophet (صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) was created in the earliest time, some traditions say that his noor was created before the Tablet, the Pen, earth, sky and even before all creatures.
and Allah ( Subhana Wa Ta’ala) Knows Best
Darul Ifta, Darul Uloom Deoband (Fatwa: 903/876=D) Here

Zahir (Ihsan Ilahi), a leader of the Wahhabi-influenced Deobandi school and declared enemy of the Barelwi school of Ahl al-Sunna in Lahore, India, in his book Hadiyyat al-mahdi (p. 56 of theSialkut edition) says: "Allah began His creation with the Muhammadan light (al-nur al-muhammadi), then He created the Throne over the water, then He created the wind, then He created the Nun and the Pen and the Tablet, then He created the Intellect. The Muhammadan Light is therefore a primary substance for the creation of the heavens and the earth and what is in them... As for what has come to us in the hadith: The first thing which Allah created is the Pen; and: The first thing which Allah created is the Intellect: what is meant by it is a relative primacy." [Hadiyyat al-mahdi,page,56]
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Quote: “ In Nashar al-Tib, p.5, Hakim ul-Ummat Mawlana Thanawi mentions that by Nur-i-Muhammadi, it is meant Ruh-i-Muhammadi. In other words, the first thing that Allah created was Ruh of Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace).” [INashar al-Tib, p.5]
also see [Nashar ut-Tib Volume:1, Page No. 13]

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The Aqeeda of the Ahle Sunnat Wa Jama'at is that the Holy Prophet (s) is both Light (Noor) and a Human being (Bashir).

The being and existence of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is even before that of human beings, but when he came into this world he came in the garb of a human being.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has stated, "The very first thing which Almighty Allah created was my Noor." (Tafseer Roohul Bayaan; Madarijun Nabuiwat)

We know that Hazrat Jibraeel (alaihis salaam) is made of Noorbut when he used to appear before Hazrat Maryam (radi Allahu anha) he used to appear in the form of a human being. Allah Ta'ala states in the Holy Quran: "Thus he used to appear before her in the form of a healthy (well-built) man." (Part 16, Ruku 5)

Hazrat Umar Farouk (radi Allahu anhu) narrates that once a person came before them. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) asked him if he knew who that person was, he replied: "Allah Ta'ala and His beloved Rasool (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) know better."

The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said that it was Jibraeel (alaihis salaam).

(Mishkaat; Bukhari Shareef)

This Hadith proves that although the Sahaba referred to HazratJibraeel (alaihis salaam) as a man since they saw him in the form of a human being, yet they accepted that he was in actual fact an Angel made from Noor. On many instances, he came in the form of Sahabi-e-Rasool named Hazrat Wahia Kalbi (radi Allahu anhu).

Sayyida Halima Sa'adiya (radi Allahu anha), the wet-nurse of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam), believed theHoly Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) to be Noor. She said that when she used to feed the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) milk in his infancy, she never felt the need for a light in her house.

(Bayaanul Miladun Nabwi; Tafseer Mazhari).

Sayyida Safiya (radi Allahu anha), the aunt of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) states that on the eve of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) she was present in his house. She said that she saw hisNoor became more powerful than the light from the lamp. (Shawaahidun Nubuiwat)

Hazrat Ali Murtuza (radi Allahu anhu) said that when theBeloved of Allah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) spoke, Noor(light) used to be seen emerging from between his blessed teeth. (Muwahibul Laduniya; Anwaarul Muhammadiyah)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) states that when theBeloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) smiled, then the walls use to glow with his Noor. (Muwahibul Laduniya; Shifa Shareef)

Hazrat Anas (radi Allahu anhu) states that the day in which theProphet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) arrived in Madinatul Munawwarah, everything in Madinatul Munawwarah becamebright through his Noor. (Tirmizi Shareef; Ibn Majah)

Ummul Mo'mineen, Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa (radi Allahu anha) is recorded to have said: "In total dark nights, I used to put the thread into a needle with the help of the Noor of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)." (Shara Shifa Bar Hashia Naseemur Riaz)

Once our mother Aisha (RA) was sewing something at the time of Sahoor, the light went out. When the light went out, she dropped her needle while trying to deal with it and she remained in darkness. Searching for the needle in darkness, she could not find it. Right at that moment, when Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) entered the room, the room was illuminated by much brighter light (Nur) than that light, and it was an utterly different Light (Nur) she then found the needle very easily and picked up the needle.

Sayyida Aisha (RA) related to the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) what had just happened. At that moment, because of her Love (Ashq) and fervour (shawk) in front of that magnificence she said, “May my mother and father be your ransom, Oh Rasulullah (Messenger of God), how beautiful your light (nur) and your beauty (jamal) are, and how blessed are they who are your community (ummah),”

By being upset at that moment, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said to Aisha (RA):

ويل لمن لايرانى يوم القيامة قالت عائشة ومن لايراك يارسول الله قال البخيل قالت ومن البخيل قال الذى لايصلى على اذاسمع اسمى

“Woe to those who are not able to see me on the day of resurrection. ” 

Sayyida Aisha (RA): “How come they are unable to see you on the day of Resurrection (qiyamah) Oh Rasulullah?”  

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم): “Those who are miserly (hasis) cannot see me. ” 

Aisha (RA): “Oh Rasulullah , who are the miserly ones?“  

Rasulullah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said ”My name is mentioned beside them and they don’t recite salawat upon me.

Now these are the miserly ones.”

(From the book Judgements of the Firqa-i Najiyya by Muhammed Siddik Hekim Efendi)

Sayyida Aisha Siddiqa (radi Allahu anha) states: "It was the time of sahri and I was sewing something when the needle fell down. Just then the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) entered the room and due to stream of light flowing from His blessed face, I found the needle."

(Khasaisul Kubra, pg 156, vol 1 - Hujatullahi Alal Alameen 688 - Alqaulul Bad'i 147 - Aqidatush Shuhahada 102 - Qasas ul Ambiya (Persian)."

Mulla Ali Qari and Imam Jalaluddeen Suyuti (radi Allahu anhum) narrate that Aisha Siddiqa (radi Allahu anha) states, "In total dark nights, I used to put the thread into a needle with the help of the Noor of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)." (Shara Shifa Bar Hashia Naseemur Riaz, pg 328, Vol 1)

Also see [Ma’arij al-Nubuwwah]

[Reported by Ibn ‘Asaakir, by Al-Asbahaani, and by Hibat Allaah Ash-Shaafi’i]

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Hazrat Imam-e-Azam Abu Hanifa (radi Allahu anhu) praises theHoly Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in the following poem: "You are that Noor that the full Moon is brightened by your Noor and you are with your beauty and elegance a shining sun." (Qasidaul Nu'maan)

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Sharh ala Muwahib al-Luduniya written by Imam az-Zarqani (rah)

Long discussion in Muwahib and Sharh ala Muwahib that Prophet (Peace be upon him) was the first created Nur ... Both scholars proved it in detail

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The Holy ProphetMuhammad

(صلى الله عليه وسلم)

Noor-ul-Bashar

(both Noor and Human)

The Ahlus Sunnah wa'l Jamaah believe that it is indeed permissible to call the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as 'Nur of Allah'. The Qur'an has itself applied this description to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and so have overwhelming ahadith.

However, it is often at this point that those who oppose this view believe from some erroneous conviction that we deem the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as a non-human. This is indeed a strange and gross accusation. For those who claim that he was not a human, have clearly ventured out of the bounds of Islam, and have entered into kufr. The belief of Ahlus Sunnah wa'l Jamaah is that our Noble Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is Nur and Human

In Light of Quran

1. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the Light of Allah, something a believer can say because the Qur’an affirms it in the verse.يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولُنَا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُمْ كَثِيرًا مِّمَّا كُنْتُمْ تُخْفُونَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَيَعْفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٍ قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ

"O people of the Book! There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary). There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book (Qur’an 5:15).

The great Mufasir of Quran Allama Alusi (rah) writes under this ayah:عظيم وهو نور الأنوار والنبـي المختار صلى الله عليه وسلم
Translation: He is the great Light upon Lights (Nur al Anwaar) and Nabi al-Mukhtar (i.e. given power by Allah to make Laws) [Al-Alusi in Ruh al Ma’ni under 5:15]

There is a notable explanation among Ahl al-Sunna which ascribes the meaning of the Prophet to both the Light and the Book. al-Sayyid al-Alusi said in Ruh al-ma`ani: "I do not consider it far-fetched that what is meant by both the Light and the Manifest Book is the Prophet, the conjunction being in the same way as what was said by al-Jubba'i [in that that both the Light and the Book were the Qur'an]. There is no doubt that all can be said to refer to the Prophet. Perhaps you will be reluctant to accept this from the viewpoint of expression (`ibara); then let it be from the viewpoint of subtle allusion (ishara)." [Tafsir Ruh al-Ma`ani, Volume 006, Page No. 97-8]

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Allama Alusi (rah) also said:وكونه صلى الله عليه وسلم رحمة للجميع باعتبار أنه عليه الصلاة والسلام واسطة الفيض الإلهي على الممكنات على حسب القوابل، ولذا كان نوره صلى الله عليه وسلم أول المخلوقات، ففي الخبر " أول ما خلق الله تعالى نور نبيك يا جابر " وجاء " الله تعالى المعطي وأنا القاسم " وللصوفية قدست أسرارهم في هذا الفصل كلام فوق ذلك،
Translation: "The Prophet being a mercy to all is linked to the fact that he is the intermediary of the divine outpouring over all contingencies [i.e. all created things without exception], from the very beginnings (wasitat al-fayd al-ilahi `ala al-mumkinat `ala hasab al-qawabil), and that is why his light was the first of all things created, as stated in the report that "The first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet, O Jabir," and also cited is: "Allah is the Giver and I am the Distributor." The Sufis -- may Allah sanctify their secrets -- have more to say on that chapter." [Tafsir Ruh al-Ma`ani, Volume 017, Page No. 105]

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قَدْ جاءَكُمْ مِنَ الله نُورٌ وكِتابٌ مُبِـينٌ

In which the word Light has been explained by a number of other Classic Scholars as follows:

Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti on This Verse:هو النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم
Translation: It is the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)" (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, 139).

Imam Ibn al-Jawzi on this Verse:يعني بالنور: النبي محمداً صلى الله عليه وسلم
Translation: The meaning of Nur is: The Prophet Muhammad (Peace upon him) [Z'ad al Maseer fil Ilm at-Tafseer Under the verse 5:15]
Imam Qurtubi and Mawardi (al-Nukat wa al-‘uyun, 2.22) mention that interpreting Nur as "Muhammad" (Allah bless him and give him peace) was also the position by [the Imam of Arabic grammar Ibrahim ibn Muhammad] al-Zajjaj (d. 311/923). [Ahkam al-Qur’an , 6.118]
Fakhr al-Razi: "There are various positions about it, the first being that the Light is Muhammad, and the Book is the Qur’an " (al-Tafsir al-kabir, 11:194).

Among the scholars who said :

"What is meant by a Light is: Muhammad, Blessings and peace upon him." are►[Suyuti in Tafsir al-Jalalayn,►Fayruzabadi in the Tafsir Ibn `Abbas entitled Tanwir al-miqbas (p. 72)►Shaykh al-Islam, Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, the Mujaddid of the sixth century, in his Tafsir al-kabir (11:189)►Imam al-Shirbini in his Tafsir entitled al-Siraj al-munir (p. 360), the author of Tafsir Abi Sa`ud (4:36)►Thana'ullah Pani Patti in his Tafsir al-mazhari, (3:67)]

2. The Parable of Allah’s Nur is Nur of Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)

Quran states:

اللَّهُ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ فِيهَا مِصْبَاحٌ الْمِصْبَاحُ فِي زُجَاجَةٍ الزُّجَاجَةُ كَأَنَّهَا كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِن شَجَرَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَةٍ لَّا شَرْقِيَّةٍ وَلَا غَرْبِيَّةٍ يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِيءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ نُّورٌ عَلَى نُورٍ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ لِنُورِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَضْرِبُ اللَّهُ الْأَمْثَالَ لِلنَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The "Parable" of His Light is as if there were a Niche and within it a Lamp: the Lamp enclosed in Glass: the glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, an Olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! Allah doth guide whom He will to His Light: Allah doth set forth Parables for men: and Allah doth know all things. (Quran 24:35)

Qadhi Iyad (Rahimuhullah) explains "Parable"of Allah's Nur in detail in his maginificent work of Seerah called Ash-Shifaو قال الله تعالى : الله نور السماوات والأرض مثل نوره كمشكاة فيها مصباح المصباح في زجاجة الزجاجة كأنها كوكب دري يوقد من شجرة مباركة زيتونة لا شرقية ولا غربية يكاد زيتها يضيء ولو لم تمسسه نار نور على نور يهدي الله لنوره من يشاء ويضرب الله الأمثال للناس والله بكل شيء عليم [ سورة النور / 24 : الأية 35 ] .قال كعب ، و ابن جبير : المراد بالنور الثاني هنا محمد عليه السلام و قوله تعالى مثل نوره أي نور محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم .و قال سهل بن عبد الله : المعنى : الله هادي أهل السموات و الأرض ، ثم قال : مثل نور محمد إذ كان مستودعاً في الأصلاب كمشكاة صفتها كذا ، و أراد بالمصباح قلبه ، و بالزجاجة صدره ، أي كأنه كوكب دري لما فيه من الإيمان و الحكمة يوقد من شجرة مباركة أي من نور إبراهيم . و ضرب المثل بالشجرة المباركة و قوله : يكاد زيتها يضيء أي تكاد نبوة محمد صلى الله عليه و سلم تبين للناس قبل كلامه كهذا الزيت
و قيل في هذه الآية غير هذا . و الله أعلمو قد سماه الله تعالى في القرآن في غير هذا الموضع نوراً و سراجاً منيراً ، فقال تعالى : قد جاءكم من الله نور وكتاب مبين [ سورة المائدة / 5 : الآية 15]و قال تعالى : إنا أرسلناك شاهدا ومبشرا ونذيرا * وداعيا إلى الله بإذنه وسراجا منيرا [ سورة الأحزاب / 33 : الأية 45 ـ 46 ]

Translation: Allah says: Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth; a likeness of His light is as a niche in which is a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive-tree, neither eastern nor western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not-- light upon light-- Allah guides to His light whom He pleases, and Allah sets forth parables for men, and Allah is Cognizant of all things.(Surah Nur, 24. Ayah 35)

Ka’b al-Ahbar (ra) and Ibn Jubayr (ra) said: By the second light He means Muhammad (Peace be upon him).Allah said “The Likness of his light” this refers to the Nur of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)

Sahl bin Abdullah (ra) said that it means that Allah is the “guide” of creation in heavens and the earth, he then said:Like the Light of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) when it is lodged in the loins (of his forefathers) like a niche. By the Lamp he means his heart. The glass is his breast. It is as if it were a glittering star because of the belief and wisdom it contains, kindled from a blessed tree, i.e. from the light of Ibrahim (a.s). He makes a comparison with the blessed tree and He says: “Its oil would nearly shine” i.e. Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam)’s prophecy is evident to the people even before he speaks just like the oil.

A lot more is said about this ayat, and Allah knows the best about it, elsewhere in the Quran Allah calls his Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) a Light and a LIGHT GIVING LAMP. He says: “A Light and a clear book have come to you from Allah (5:15), Allah also says: “We sent you as a witness, a barrier or glad tidings and a warner, one who calls to Allah with his permission and a Light-giving Lamp (33:46)

Reference►[Ash-Shifa bi Tarif al Haquq al Mustafa, Page No. 6]

Imam Ibn Kathir (Rahimuhullah) says under this ayahوقال شمر بن عطية: جاء ابن عباس إلى كعب الأحبار فقال: حدثني عن قول الله تعالى: { يَكَادُ زَيْتُهَا يُضِىۤءُ وَلَوْ لَمْ تَمْسَسْهُ نَارٌ } قال: يكاد محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم يبين للناس، ولو لم يتكلم أنه نبي؛ كما يكاد ذلك الزيت أن يضيء

Translation: Ibn Abbas (ra) went to Ka’b al-Ahbar (ra) and asked him to explain the Allah's saying: {whose oil is well-nigh luminous}, Ka'b (ra) said: It is an (example of) Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) i.e. He is evident to people as Prophet even if he had not declared his Nabuwah, just like the olive oil glows even without being lit

Reference►[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Volume No.3, Page No. 490, under 24:35]

Imam al-Baghwi (Rahimuhullah) explains:فقال بعضهم: وقع هذا التمثل لنور محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال ابن عباس لكعب الأحبار: أخبرني عن قوله تعالى: { مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كَمِشْكَاةٍ } فقال كعب: هذا مثل ضربه الله لنبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم، فالمشكاة صدره، والزجاجة قلبه، والمصباح فيه النبوة، توقد من شجرة مباركة هي شجرة النبوة، يكاد نور محمد وأمره يتبين للناس ولو لم يتكلم أنه نبي كما يكاد ذلك الزيت يضيء ولو لم تمسسه نار.

Translation: Some (scholars) said: This similitude refers to Nur of Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam), Ibn Abbas (ra) asked Kab al-Ahbar (ra) to explain Similitude of Nur, at which he replied: Allah has mentioned his Prophet (Peace be upon him) as a parable in this ayah, Mishkat refers to the chest of Prophet (saw), Glass refers to his heart, and Misbah refers to his Nabuwah and the wording “whose oil is well-nigh luminous” means that even if Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had not declared himself a Prophet still his Nurwould have glowed proving to people that he is a Nabi

Reference►[Ma’lim at Tanzil by Imam Baghawi, Under 24:35]

Imam Ibn Jarir at-Tabri (rah) explains Similitude of Allah’s Nur as:جاء ابن عبـاس إلـى كعب الأحبـار، فقال له: حدثنـي عن قول الله: { مَثَلُ نُورِهِ كمِشْكاةٍ } قال: الـمشكاة وهي الكَوّة، ضربها الله مثلاً لـمـحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم، الـمِشكاة { فِـيها مِصْبـاحٌ الـمِصْبـاحُ } قلبه { فِـي زُجاجَةٍ الزُّجاجَةُ } صدره الزجاجة { كأنَّها كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيّ } شبه صدر النبـيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بـالكوكب الدريّ،
….، { يَكادُ زَيْتُها يُضِىءُ } يكاد مـحمد يبـين للناس وإن لـم يتكلـم أنه نبـيّ، كما يكاد ذلك الزيت يضيء

Translation: Ibn Abbas (ra) presents the explanation of Kab al-Ahbar (ra) as: {The parable of his light is as there were a niche} Niche here refers to a lantern, this example which Allah has given is of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that he is a Lantern which contains light, {And within it a lamp} meaning his heart{and lamp enclosed in a glass} meaning his chest { the glass as it were a brilliant star}The chest of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is explained through parable of glowing star…. { whose oil is well-nigh luminous} means that even if Prophet (saw)had not declared himself a Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) still his (Nur) would have glowed proving to people that he is a Nabi

Reference►Tafsir at-Tabri, under 24:35

Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA) explains the “Parable” of Allah’s Nur as:مثل نوره نور محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم في أصلاب آبائه على هذا الوصف إلى

Translation: The Parable of Allah’s Nur is Nur of Muhammad (Salallaho alaihi wasalam) which was present in the loins of his forefathers [Reference:Tanwir al Miqbas, Min Tafsir Ibn Abbas, Page No. 376, Published by Maktaba al Asriyyah, Beirut, Lebanon]

Continuing the Tafsir: It is also said that the verse means: the likeness of the light of Muhammad in the loins of his forefathers is like this, up to Allah's saying (… kindled from a blessed tree). He says: the light of Muhammadin Abraham was an upright religion (olive tree), and Abraham was neither Jew nor Christian (neither of the East nor of the West), the works of Abraham would almost glow forth in the loins of his forefathers like this (would almost glow forth (of itself)), up until Allah's saying (kindled from a blessed tree) He says: as if it is the light of Muhammad (pbuh) and if Abraham was not a prophet, he would still have this light (though no fire touched it); it is also said that the latter passage means: Had Allah not honored Abraham, he would not have had this light; it is also said: if Allah had not honored His believing servant with this light, he would not have had it.

Please note: Tanwir al Miqbas is only quoted to provide a corroborating reference

Imam Suyuti said in al-Riyad al-aniqa: Ibn Jubayr and Ka`b al-Ahbar said:

"What is meant by the second light is the Prophet because he is the Messenger and the Expositor and the Conveyor from Allah of what is enlightening and manifest." Ka`b said: "Its oil well nigh would shine because the Prophet well nigh would be known to the people even if he did not say that he was a Prophet, just as that oil would send forth light without a fire."

Among those who said that the meaning of " مَثَلُ نُورِهِ" -- the likeness of His Light -- is the Prophet Muhammad, upon him blessings and peace:►Ibn Jarir al-Tabari in his Tafsir (18:95),►Suyuti in al-Durr al-manthur (5:49),►Zarqani in Sharh al-mawahib (3:171),►al-Khafaji in Nasim al-riyad (1:110, 2:449),►al-Nisaburi in Ghara'ib al-Qur'an (18:93) said: "The Prophet is a light and a light-giving lamp."►al-Qari in Sharh al-shifa' said: "The most apparent meaning is to say that what is meant by the light is Muhammad."

In Light of Hadith

Hadith #1

Arbaz Bin Sariyah (ra) narrated that the Sahaba asked (about reality of Prophet). The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: I am the prayer of Ibrahim (Peace Be Upon Him) and Esa (Peace Be Upon Him) gave glad tiding of my arrival to his nation. My mother saw such a Light (Nur) coming out from her body that it lit the castles of Syria

Reference

►Bayhaqi, Dala’il un Nubuwwah, Volume 001, Page No. 83

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►Imam Ibn Kathir (rah) narrated it in his Tafsir (4:360).

►It is also narrated by al-Hakim in his Mustadrak (2:616-617)

►Ahmad in his Musnad (4:184)

►Bayhaqi again in Dala'il al-nubuwwa (1:110, 2:8).

►Ibn al-Jawzi cites it in al-Wafa' (p. 91, ch. 21 of Bidayat nabiyyina sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam

►Haythami cites it in Majma` al-zawa'id (8:221) and said Tabarani and Ahmad narrated it, and Ahmad's chain is fair (hasan). See for Ahmad's complete text Bisharatu `Isa (#454).

Hadith #2

Musannaf Abdur Razaq

It is narrated by Imam Abdur Razaq from Mua'mar, from Ibn al-Manqadr, from Jabir ibn `Abd Allah who said to the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) : "O Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him), may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, tell me of the first thing Allah created before all things." He (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "O Jabir, the first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet from His (created) light, and that light remained (lit. "turned") in the midst of His Power for as long as He wished, and there was not, at that time, a Tablet or a Pen or a Paradise or a Fire or an angel or a heaven or an earth. And when Allah wished to create creation, he divided that Light into four parts and from the first made the Pen, from the second the Tablet, from the third the Throne, [and from the fourth everything else]......."

References

►Musannaf Abdur Razaq, al-Juz al-Mafqud min al-Juz al-Awwal min al-Musannaf Abdur Razaq, Page No. 99, Hadith Number 18

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►Qastalani in Mawahib ul Laduniyah Volume 001, Page No. 71,

►Zurqani in Sharah Mawahib ul Laduniyah Volume 001, Page No. 89-91,

►Ajluni in Kashf al-Khafa (وقال : رواه عبد الرزاق بسنده عن جابر بن عبد اﷲ رضي اﷲ عنهما) Volume 001, Page No. 311, Hadith Number 827,

►Halabi in his Sirah Volume 001, Page No. 50,

►Ashraf Ali Thanvi in Nashar ut-Tib Volume 001, Page No. 13

Imam Ibn Hajr al-Haythami (rah) narrates in his Fatawa al Hadithiyyah:

فقد أخرج عبد الرزاق بسنده عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري رضي الله عنهما قال: "قلت: يا رسول الله بأبي أنت وأمي أخبرني عن أوّل شيء خلقه الله قبل الأشياء؟ قال: يا جابر إن الله خلق قبل الأشياء نور نبيك محمد صلى الله عليه وسلّم من نوره فجعل ذلك النور يدور بالقدرة حيث شاء الله، ولم يكن في ذلك الوقت لوح ولا قلم ولا جنة ولا نار ولا ملك ولا سماء ولا أرض ولا شمس ولا قمر ولا إنس ولا جن، فلما أراد الله تعالى أن يخلق الخلق قسم ذلك النور أربعة أجزاء: فخلق من الجزء الأوّل القلم، ومن الثاني اللوح، ومن الثالث العرش، ثم قسم الجزء الرابع أربعة أجزاء: فخلق من الأول حملة العرش، ومن الثاني الكرسي، ومن الثالث باقي الملائكة

Undoubtedly Abdur Razzaq mentioned with his Sanad from Jabir ibn `Abd Allah who asked: "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, tell me of the first thing Allah created before all things." He said: "O Jabir, the first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet from His light, and that light remained (lit. "turned") in the midst of His Power for as long as He wished, and there was not, at that time, a Tablet or a Pen or a Paradise or a Fire or an angel or a heaven or an earth. And when Allah wished to create creation, he divided that Light into four parts and from the first made the Pen, from the second the Tablet, from the third the Throne, [and from the fourth everything else]

Reference

►[Narrated by Imam Ibn Hajr al Haytami in Fatawa al Hadithiyyah Page No. 289]

Note: Sheikh Abdul Haqq Muhadith Dhelvi (Rahimuhullah) said: The source of creation, universe and of Adam is Nur of Muhammad(Salallaho alaihi wasalam), hence "IT HAS COME IN SAHIH HADITH THAT THE FIRST THING WHICH ALLAH CREATED WAS MY NUR!" [Madarij al Nabuwah, Volume No.2, Page No. 2]

Some people object that in hadith it has also come that first thing which Allah created was Al-Qalam (i.e. pen) and they cite the hadith in Tirimdhi as proof which states: أَوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ الْقَلَمُ(i.e. First thing which Allah created was the pen)

They say that hence Pen is the first creation therefore the hadith of Prophet (Peace be upon him) being first created Nur contradicts it.

This is their misconception because things have been first created according to their relative primacy, here is hadith from Sahih Bukhari which even proves Throne and Water to be created before Pen

كان اللهُ ولم يكُنْ شيءٌ غيرُه. وكان عرشُهُ على الماء

Translation: First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His throne was over the water [Translation by Muhsin Khan, Sahih Bukhari in English, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 414]

After seeing this the deniers are dumbstruck and their own pseudo logic stands refuted because now there is even conflict between other Sahih ahadith regarding what was the first thing created! But the point is how to bring reconciliation?

Imam Badr ud-din Ayni (rah) gave a magnificent answer, he states in his Umdat al Qari, Sharh Sahih al Bukhariروى أحمد والترمذي مصححا من حديث عبادة بن الصامت مرفوعاً أول ما خلق الله القلم ثم قال أكتب فجرى بما هو كائن إلى يوم القيامة واختاره الحسن وعطاء ومجاهد وإليه ذهب إبن جرير وابن الجوزي وحكى ابن جرير عن محمد بن إسحاق أنه قال أول ما خلق الله تعالى النور والظلمة ثم ميز بينهما فجعل الظلمة ليلاً أسود مظلماً وجعل النور نهاراً أبيض مبصراً وقيل أو ما خلق الله تعالى نور محمد قلت التوفيق بين هذه الروايات بأن الأولية نسبي وكل شيء قيل فيه إنه أول فهو بالنسبة إلى ما بعدها

Translation: Imam Ahmed and Imam Tirimdhi have narrated the Marfu hadith with Sahih Isnad from Ibada bin Samit (ra) which proves that Allah first created the Pen and then told it to write and It wrote everything which would happen till day of Judgement. Hassan, Ata and Mujahid have adopted this too, Ibn Jarir and Ibn Jawzi also have this Madhab whereas Ibn Jarir has narrated from Muhammad bin Ishaq that “ALLAH CREATED THE NUR AND DARKNESS PRIOR TO EVERYTHING” and then differentiated between them, There is also a saying that Allah first created “THE NUR OF MUHAMMAD (PEACE BE UPON HIM)” so how could reconciliation be brought in these different narrations? I say that they could be reconciled by saying that everything has its “RELATIVE PRIMACY” and they are first in relevance to things which came after them. [Umdat al Qari, Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume No. 15, Page No. 109]

Mullah Ali Qari (rah) beautifully said:

الأوّل الحقيقي هو النور المحمدي على ما بينته في المورد للمولد

Translation: The first reality is the “NUR-AL-MUHAMMADI” as I have mentioned in my book Al-Mawrid lil-Mawlid [Mullah Ali Qari in Mirqat, Sharh al Mishqaat (1/289), Published by Dar ul Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon]

Mullah Ali Qari (rah) also said:

والأوّلية من الأمور الإضافية فيؤوّل أن كل واحد مما ذكر خلق قبل ما هو من جنسه ؛ فالقلم خلق قبل جنس الأقلام ونوره قبل الأنوار وإلا فقد ثبت أن العرش قبل خلق السموات والأرض، فتطلق الأوّلية على كل واحد بشرط التقييد فيقال: أوّل المعاني كذا، وأوّل الأنوار كذا، ومنه قوله: «أوّل ما خلق الله نوري»، وفي رواية: «روحي» ومعناهما واحد، فإن الأرواح نورانية

Translation: Being first is amongst the matters of “Idhafiyah” hence the interpretation will be done that these things (i.e. Qalam, Aql, Nur, Ruh, Arsh etc…) are first according to their own “JINS” hence Pen was created first in relevance to other Pens [Note: Here Mullah Ali Qari is beautifully explaining relative primacy] and the Nur [al-Muhammadi] was created prior to every other Nur. It is also proven that Arsh was created prior to heavens and earth and all this will be attributed towards one meaning as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “The First thing which Allah created was my Nur” and It has also come in another report thatIt was his “RUH” and both of them “HAVE SAME MEANING BECAUSE SPIRITS ARE CREATED FROM NUR [Mullah Ali Qari in Mirqat, Sharh al-Mishqaat (1/290), Published by Dar ul Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon]

So people who deny Muhammadan reality are first asked to pass a verdict of Kufr/Shirk upon Imam Badr ud-din Ayni (rah), Imam al-Qastallani (rah), Mullah Ali Qari (rah), Ibn Hajr al-Haythami (rah), Allama Alusi (rah) and many others, only then they can have a valid difference of opinion over this issue!

The hadith of Jabir bin Abdullah (rah) is further authenticated by another hadith which is Sahih and proves that Nur of Prophet (Peace be upon him) was created prior to Adam (a.s).

2) Abu Hurraira (ra) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (May Peace be upon him) that he said: When Allah created Adam (Peace be upon him) He informed him of his descendants, at this Adam (Peace be upon him) saw superiority of some over others, then he saw me towards the end in form of an “ILLUMINATING NUR”(i.e. the Last of the Prophets to be sent) he (adam) said: O my Lord who is this? The Lord replied: This is your son Ahmed who is the first and the last and (on the Day of Judgment) he will be first to do intercession.
Reference►[Bayhaqi, Dala’il un Nubuwwah: Volume:5, Page No. 483]
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Hadith #3
Imam Taj ad-Din Subki said: "It has been said that Allah created the spirits before the bodies, and the Prophet's reference to his prophecy in the hadith, "I was a Prophet while Adam was still between the spirit and the body”may be a reference to his blessed spirit and to the Reality of Realities (haqiqat al-haqa'iq). Our minds fall short of knowing such a Reality, but its Creator knows it, and also those to whom He extends a madad of light from Him [man amaddahu bi nurin ilahi]. Allah brings to existence whichever of these realities that He likes in the time that He pleases. As for the reality of the Prophet, it is most likely that it was before the creation of Adam, and Allah gave it its prophetic attribute upon its creation; therefore already at that time, he was the Prophet."
Reference►[Imam Qastallani, Mawahib al-laduniyya Volume 001, Page No. 31-32]
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There is a further confirmation of the relation of the light of the Prophet to that of the rest of creation in the hadiths comparing Prophetic knowledge to the light of the stars in the darkness of night.

Anas relates that the Prophet said: "The simile of the scholars of knowledge (al-`ulama') on the earth is the stars in the sky by which one is guided in the darkness of the land and the sea. When the stars are clouded over, the guides are about to be lost." Ahmad narrated it in his Musnad (Volume 003, Page No. 157 Hadith Number:12606) with a chain containing Rishdin ibn Sa`d who is weak.
However, it is confirmed by the hadith in Muslim and Ahmad narrated by Abu Musa al-Ash`ari whereby the Prophet said: The stars are trust-keepers for the heaven, and when the stars wane, the heaven is brought what was promised (i.e. of the corruption of the world and the coming of the Day of Judgment); and I am a trust-keeper for my Companions, so when I go my Companions will be brought what was promised them (i.e. of fitna and division); and my Companions are trustkeepers for my Community, so when they go my Community will be brought what was promised to you (i.e. following hawa and vying for dunya).

Imam Abu Abdullah Ibn al-Haaj al-Maliki

"The first thing Allah created is the light (Nur) of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), and that light came and prostrated before Allah. Allah divided it into four parts and created from the first part the Throne, from the second the Pen, from the third the Tablet, and then similarly He subdivided the fourth part into parts and created the rest of creation. Therefore the light of the Throne is from the light of Muhammad , the light of the Pen is from the light of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the light of the Tablet is from the light of Muhammad , the light of day, the light of knowledge, the light of the sun and the moon, and the light of vision and sight are all from the light of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). [al-Madkhal, Volume:2, Page No. 32-33] Click here for Scanned Page (73)

Hadith # 4
Ka'aab bin Ahbaar said: That Adam (may peace and blessings be upon Him) said O my son whenever you do Zikr of Allah always remember to do zikr of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) too with out doubt I saw his name written on skies when I was between Soul and Soil I did Tawaf of all the skies and didnt saw a single place in these skies when Muhammad name wasnt written, on the cheeks of Hoors, on the heaven's castle's tree leafs, on the leafs of Tooba tree, on the leaves of tree called Sidrah al-Muntiha, on the eyes of gatekeepers of heaven and between the eyes of angels I saw Muhammad written, so you should do their Zikr with much focus and extreme, without doubt the angels also remember him all the time.

Reference

► [Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Madina-Damishq Volume:23, Page No. 281: Publish: Dar al Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon]
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Hadith # 5
Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrated: That I said 'O' Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), my mother and father be sacrificed on you where were you at the time Adam (may peace and blessings be upon Him) was in heaven, He said that the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) smiled so that his teeth became clear then he said I was in the loin of Adam (may peace and blessings be upon Him) and then in the loin of my father Noah (may peace and blessings be upon Him) then I was taken on a ship then my Light (Nur) was put into loin of Abraham (may peace and blessings be upon Him) my parents were never given to me expect those who did Nikah I was always transferred to pure people. In Turah and Bible was my name was mentioned every Prophet of Allah mentioned by blessings, With my Light (Nur) the morning was lightened and the people got cloud shadow due to me and Allah granted me one of his names and He is Mehmood of Arsh and I am Muhammad and Allah promised me Hodh al-Kosar and he made me the first Intercessor and I will be the first person who Intercession on will be accepted, and Allah gave me birth in the best time of mankind, the people of my Ummah are those who praise Allah, they ask to do good deeds and stop from sins.

Reference

►Ibn Asakir, Tarikh Madina-Damishq Volume:3, Page No. 408: Publish: Dar al Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon
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Hadith # 6
Hadrat Sayyida Halima Sa'adiya (radi Allahu anha) who was the one responsible for feeding milk to the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) The one before whom the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) used to eat and drink, even she believed that the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was Noor and this has been explained by Allama Muhadith Ibn Jauzi and Qazi Thanaullah Paani Pati (rahmatuallah aleh) as follows: "When I used to feed milk to the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) then I never felt the need for a light in my house. Thus one day Umme Khula Sa'diya said, "O Halima ! Do you leave the fire burning for the entire night in your house? and I answered by saying, "No! I swear by Almighty Allah that I do not keep the fire burning at all. This Noor and brightness is that of Sayidduna Rasoolullah Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)

Reference►[Bayaanul Miladun Nabwi, pg 54 - Tafseere Mazhari]

Hadith # 7 لَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي دَخَلَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ أَضَاءَ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ أَظْلَمَ مِنْهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَلَمَّا نَفَضْنَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْأَيْدِي وَإِنَّا لَفِي دَفْنِهِ حَتَّى أَنْكَرْنَا قُلُوبَنَا

Sayyidina Anas ibn Maalik (RA) narrated: The day when Allah’s Messenger entered Madinah, everything in it was illuminated. Then, the day when he died everything in it became dark. And we had barely dusted off our hands after burying him when our hearts changed.

References: [Trimidhi Hadith No: 3638, Musnad Ahmad Hadith No: 13311, Ibne Majah Hadith No: 1613, Muwahibul ladaniyah, pg 68, Vol:1, Mustadrik, pg 12, Vol:3]

Hadith # 8
Ibn 'Abbas said: I spent the night in the house of my mother's sister, Maimuna, and observed how the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) prayed (at night). He got up and relieved himself. He then washed his face and hands and then went to sleep. He again got up and went near the water-skin and loosened its straps and then poured some water in a bowl and inclined it with his hands (towards himself). He then performed a good ablution between the two extremes and then stood up to pray. I also came and stood by his left side. He took hold of me and made me stand on his right side. It was in thirteen rak'ahs that the (night) prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) was completed. He then slept till he began to snore, and we knew that he had gone to sleep by his snoring. He then went out (for the dawn prayer) and then again slept, and said while praying or prostrating himself:" O Allah! place light in my heart, light in my hearing, light in my sight, light on my right, light on my left, light in front of me, light behind me, light above me, light below me, make light for me," or he said:"Make me light."
Reference: [Sahih Muslim, Book 004, Hadith #1677]

Hadith # 9
'Abdullah b. 'Abbas reported: He spent (one night) in the house of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He (the Holy Prophet) got up, brushed his teeth and performed ablution and said:" In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, there are indeed signs for people of understanding" (al-Qur'an, iii. 190), to the end of the Surah. He then stood up and prayed two rak'ahs, standing, bowing and prostrating himself at length in them. Then he finished, went to sleep and snored. He did that three times, six rak'ahs altogether, each time cleaning his teeth, performing ablution, and reciting these verses. Then he observed three rak'ahs of Witr. The Mu'adhdhin then pronounced the Adhan and he went out for prayer and was saying,:" O Allah I place light in my heart, light in my tongue, place light in my hearing, place light in my eyesight, place light behind me, and light in front of me, and place light above me, and light below me. O Allah! grant me light."
Reference►[Sahih Muslim, Book 004, Hadith #1682]

Hadith # 10مجتمعات فقالت امرأة منهن يا نساء قريش أيتكن تتزوج هذا الفتى فتصطاد النور الذي بين عينيه وإن بين عينيه نوراً قال فتزوجته آمنة بنت وهب بن عبد مناف بن زهرة فجامعها فحملت برسول الله
al-Zuhri narrated: `Abd Allah ibn `Abd al-Muttalib was the most handsome man that had ever been seen among the Quraysh. One day he went out and was seen by a an assembly of the women of Quraysh. One of them said: "O women of the Quraysh, which among you will marry this youth and catch thereby the light that is between his eyes?" For verily there was a light between his eyes. Thereafter Amina bint Wahb ibn `Abd Manaf ibn Zuhra married him, and after he joined her she carried Allah's Messenger.

References

►[al-Bayhaqi narrated it in Dala'il al-nubuwwa (1:87)]

► Tabari in his Tarikh (2:243)

►Ibn al-Jawzi in al-Wafa' (p. 82-83, ch. 16 of Abwab bidayati nabiyyina)

Hadith # 11

1) Ibn al Jawzi al-Hanbali, narrates that the light of the Messenger of Allah would overcome the light of both the sun and lamp
Reference: [Al Wafa, Chapter al Wilada, Ibn al Jawzi]

2) Abu ‘Ubayda ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ammar ibn Yasir said: “I said to say to al-Rubayyi’ bint Mu ‘awwadh: ‘Describe for me Allah's Messenger.’ She replied: ‘If you saw him you would say: The sun is rising.’”
References: Bayhaqi narrates it with his isnad in Dala’il al-Nubuwwa (1:200), and Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawa’id (8:280) says that al-Tabarani narrates it in al-Mu'jam al-kabir and al-Awsat and that its narrators have been declared trustworthy.

3) That when Adam (May Allah bless him and grant Him peace) was being created, the noor of Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] was placed in Adam [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace]’s forehead and Adam [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] saw Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace], Adam [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] asked “who is he?” Allah Ta’ala replied “He is the last Prophet and will be the chief of your children.”
Reference: [Al Wafa chap on Birth of Prophet May Allah bless him and grant Him peace by Ibn Jawzi]

Hadith # 12

Imam Qadhi Iyaad (rah) narrates:و عن ابن عباس : إن قريشاً كانت نوراً بين يدي الله تعالى قبل أن يخلق آدم بألفي عام ، يسبح ذلك النور ، و تسبح الملائكة بتسبيحه ، فلما خلق الله آدم ألقى ذلك النور في صلبه ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم : فأهبطني الله إلى الأرض في صلب آدم ، و جعلني في صلب نوح ، و قذف بي في صلب ابراهيم ، ثم لم يزل الله تعالى ينقلني من الأصلاب الكريمة و الأرحام الطاهرة ، حتى أخرجني من بين أبوي لم يلتقيا على سفاح قط

Translation: Ibn Abbas (ra) said that the spirit of the Prophet was a light in the hands of Allah two thousand years before he created Adam. That light glorified Him and the angels glorified by his glorification. When Allah created Adam, He casted that light into his loins. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) then said: “Allah brought me down to earth in the loins of Adam (a.s), placed me in the loins of Nuh (a.s) and then cast me into the loins of Ibrahim (a.s). Allah continued to move me from noble loins and pure wombs until he brought me out from my parents. None of them were ever joined together in fornication

Reference►[Qadhi Iyaad in Ash-Shifa bi Tarif al Haquq al Mustafa, Page No. 43]

Hadith #13عن العِرْباض بن سارِيَة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إِنّي عِنْدَ الله لَخَاتِمُ النَّبِيِّينَ وإِنَّ آدَمَ لمُنْجَدِلٌ فِي طِيْنَتِه» .

Translation: Narrated by Arbaas bin Sariyah (ra) who said that the Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) said: I was the last Prophet in sight of Allah when Adam was intermingled in mud [Al Wafa bi Ahwal lil Mustafa by Ibn Jawzi, Page No. 25]

Takhreej: Narrated by Hakim in his Mustadrak 2/600 and Tabarani in his Al-Kabir 18/253, and Al Baihaqi in his Dalail an Nabuwwa 1/83, Ibn Asakir in Tarikh ul Dimishq 1/38

Ibn Hibban in his “Sahiha” Hadith No. 2093, Imam Ahmed in his Musnad 4/127, 128

Hakim said in his Mustadrak (2/600): This Hadith has Sahih chain, Haythami narrated it in Majma Az Zawaid (8/223) where he said: It is narrated by Ahmed, Tabarani, Al-Bazzar, the narrators of Ahmed are those of Sahih, except for Sa’id bin Suwaid who is Thiqa as said by Ibn Hibban

Hadith #14
حدثنا الحسن قثنا أحمد بن المقدام العجلي قثنا الفضيل بن عياض قثنا ثور بن يزيد عن خالد بن معدان عن زاذان عن سلمان قال سمعت حبيبي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول كنت انا وعلي نورا بين يدي الله عز وجل قبل ان يخلق آدم بأربعة عشر ألف عام فلما خلق الله آدم قسم ذلك النور جزءين فجزء أنا وجزء علي عليه السلام

Salman (ra) narrates that he heard the beloved Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: I along with Ali were Nur in hands of Allah, 14000 years before he created Adam

Reference

►[Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal in Fadhail as Sahaba, Volume No. 2,Page No. 663, Hadith No 1130]

Note: It is known to Ahlus sunnah wal Jammah that the above hadith about Prophet (Peace be upon him) and Ali (ra) is not authentic but in relevance to other overwhelming ahadith shown and the Usool that many ahadith on a certain subject streghthen eachother, we are citing it and there is no problem if this specific hadith is rejected by someone.

Having said that It should be clarified that those who understand that Arwah were created prior to bodies would know that mention of Ali (ra) over here is just to praise him though the arwah of other sahaba like Abu Bakr (ra) are also created from the Nur of Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam), such a high and primitive praise has been given to many other sahaba, for example regarding Umar (ra), The Prophet (saw) said that Had there been a Nabi after me then it would have been Umar (ra)[Tirimdhi], now this does not mean there is even a possibility of someone else being a Nabi, It is just a praise, or regarding Ali (a.s) at another place when Prophet (saw) said: You are to me What Harun was onto Moses (Sahih Muslim), this would not mean that Ali (ra) becomes a Prophet (Naudhobillah).

Hadith #15
وقد كانت أم قتال رقيقة بنت نوفل أخت ورقة بن نوفل توسمت ما كان بين عيني عبدالله قبل ان يجامع آمنة من النور فودت أن يكون ذلك متصلا بها لما كانت تسمع من اخيها من البشارات بوجود محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم وأنه قد أزف زمانه فعرضت نفسها عليه قال بعضهم ليتزوجها وهو أظهر والله أعلم فامتنع عليها فلما انتقل ذلك النور الباهر إلى آمنة بمواقعته

Translation: The sister of Waraqa bin Nawfal (RA) i.e. Umm Qatal saw Nur between eyes of Abdullah (RA)before he had gone onto his wife Amina (RA), and she had proposed to him too, her brother (Waraqa bin Nawfal) had told her that a mighty Prophet would be born from Abdullah (RA) therefore it was desire of Um Qatal that the Nabi is born through her., however the Nur (i.e. Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was transferred into Amina (RA)

Reference►[Ibn Kathir in Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 162]

Hadith #16وذكر القاضي عياض عن الشفاء أم عبدالرحمن بن عوف أنها كانت قابلته وأنها أخبرت به حين سقط على يديها واستهل سمعت قائلا يقول يرحمك الله وإنه سطع منه نور رؤيت منه قصور الروم

Translation: Qadhi Iyaad (Rahimuhullah) mentioned in Ash-Shifa through the reference of Umm Abdur Rahman bin Awf (RA) that she was a Dai during the time when Prophet (saw) was born. She explains that when Prophet (salallaho alaihi wasalam) came into her hands from the body of his mother, she heard him saying: Ya Rahmak Allah and (from the body of Prophet) a Nur emerged and she saw that it illuminated the Palaces of Rome

Reference: ►[Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 165]

Hadith #17
عن عثمان بن أبي العاص حدثتني أمي أنها شهدت ولادة آمنة بنت وهب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ليلة ولدته قالت فما شيء أنظره في البيت إلا نور وإني أنظر إلى النجوم تدنو حتى إني لأقول ليقعن علي

Translation: Hafidh Abu Bakr al Baihaqi (RA) narrated from mother of Uthman bin Abi al Aas(ra) that she witnessed the Haml of Hadrat Amina bint Wahb (ra) with her own eyes and on the night of birth she saw that there was nothing but Nur spread everywhere in the house and the stars had come so close to earth that it was hard to comprehend

Reference►[Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 164]

Hadith #18أن آمنة بنت وهب قالت لقد علقت به تعني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فما وجدت له مشقة حتى وضعته فلما فصل مني خرج معه نور أضاء له ما بين المشرق إلى المغرب

Translation: Amina bin Wahb (RA) explained that before the birth of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) when she was experiencing labor pains, she saw that a Nur emerged from her body which illuminated the east and west

Reference►[Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 164]

Hadith #19
عن العرباض بن سارية صاحب رسول الله أنه قال سمعت رسول الله يقول إني عبد الله وخاتم النبيين وإن آدم لمنجدل في طينته وسأخبركم عن ذلك دعوة أبي إبراهيم وبشارة عيسى بي ورؤيا أمي التي رأت وكذلك أمهات النبيين يرين وإن أم رسول الله رأت حين وضعته نوراً أضاءت له قصور الشام

Translation: Hadrat Arbas bin Sariyah (RA) the companion of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heard the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) saying: I am Abdullah (Slave of Allah), and last of all prophets, (I was a Prophet) when Adam was mingled in the mud, I inform you that I am the dua of my father Ibrahim (A.S) the tiding of Isa (A.S), and the dream of my mother which mothers of other prophets also used to see, My mother saw that she gave birth to a Nur which illuminated the castles of Syria

Reference►[Imam Baihaqi in Dalail an Nabuwwa, Volume No. 1, Page No. 80]

Imam Hakim after narrating it said:هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد شاهد للحديث الأول

Translation: This Hadith has a Sahih chain and is also a witness over the first hadith (which he mentioned in the chapter)

Reference►[Mustadrak ala Sahihayn, Volume 2, Page No. 600, Hadith No. 4175]

Hadith #20
حدثنا أبو العباس محمد بن يعقوب حدثنا أحمد بن عبد الجبار حدثنا يونس بن بكير عن بن إسحاق قال حدثني ثور بن يزيد عن خالد بن معدان عن أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنهم قالوا يا رسول الله أخبرنا عن نفسك فقال دعوة أبي إبراهيم وبشرى عيسى ورأت أمي حين حملت بي أنه خرج منها نور أضاءت له بصرى وبصرى من أرض الشام

Translation: The Companions of Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked him: O Messenger of Allah, inform us about yourself, (The Prophet) said: I am the prayer of my father Ibrahim (A.S), the tiding of Isa (A.S), My Mother during her haml saw that a Nur emerged from her which made her see Syria [Mustadrak al Hakim, Volume 2, Page No. 600, Hadith No. 4174]

Imam Hakim (Rahimuhullah) said after this hadith:قال الحاكم خالد بن معدان من خيار التابعين صحب معاذ بن جبل فمن بعده من الصحابة فإذا أسند حديث إلى الصحابة فإنه صحيح الإسناد ولم يخرجاه

Khalid bin Madan (rah) is amongst the great Tabiyeen, the companion of Muadh bin Jabal (ra)… This hadith has Sahih Isnaad [Ibid]

Hadith #21قد ذكرنا في باب هواتف الجان ما تقدم من خرور كثير من الأصنام ليلتئذ لوجوهها وسقوطها عن أماكنها وما رآه النجاشي ملك الحبشة وظهور النور معه حتى أضاءت له قصور الشام حين ولد وما كان من سقوطه جاثيا رافعا رأسه إلى السماء وانفلاق تلك البرمة عن وجهه الكريم وما شوهد من النور في المنزل الذي ولد فيه ودنو النجوم منهم وغير ذلكحكى السهيلي عن تفسير بقي بن مخلد الحافظ أن إبليس رن أربع رنات حين لعن وحين أهبط
وحين ولد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وحين أنزلت الفاتحة

Translation: The Screaming of (evil) Jinns at the birth of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), The idols falling on their faces by whisking like cats, Najashi experiencing strange events at Habsha. Nur illuminating from the body of (Prophet)'s mother and then it turning towards sky and becoming still, All castles of Syria being illuminated with this Nur, Stars coming near to ground and this Nur illuminating on your blessed face and other such witnessed accounts we have mentioned before

Imam Suhaili (R.A) explained that Iblis cried loudly 4 times, first time when Allah declared him to be La'een and sent Lanah upon him, second time when he was thrown to earth from heaven, third time when Prophet ( صلى الله عليهوسلم) was born and fourth time when Surah Al-Fatiha was revealed.

Reference►Al Bidayah Wal Nihayah, Volume 2, Page No. 166

Hadith #22حدثنا علي بن حمشاذ العدل إملاء حدثنا هارون بن العباس الهاشمي حدثنا جندل بن والق حدثنا عمرو بن أوس الأنصاري حدثنا سعيد بن أبي عروبة عن قتادة عن سعيد بن المسيب عن بن عباس رضى الله تعالى عنهما قال أوحى الله إلى عيسى عليه السلام يا عيسى آمن بمحمد وأمر من أدركهمن أمتك أن يؤمنوا به فلولا محمد ما خلقت آدم ولولا محمد ما خلقت الجنة ولا النار ولقد خلقت العرش على الماء فاضطرب فكتبت عليه لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله فسكن هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد ولم يخرجاه

Translation: Ibn Abbas (R.A) narrates that Allah inspired Isa (A.S) saying O Isa, believe in Muhammad (صلى الله عليهوسلم), and whosoever form your Ummah finds him should believe in him, If I had not created Muhammad (صلى اللهعليه وسلم) then I would not have created Adam, If not for him I would not have created the paradise and hell, When I made the throne on Water, it started to shake, I wrote La Ilaha Il Allah Muhammad ur Rasul Ullah, due to which it became still

Reference

►Imam Hakim in Mustadrak ala Sahihayn, Volume No. 2, Page No. 609, Hadith No. 4227

Imam Hakim after narrating it said:هذا حديث صحيح الإسناد

This Hadith has Sahih chain.

Aqwaal (saying) of Imam's and Ulama

Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (R)

Note: Some people claim that Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (rah) rejected the Prophet (Peace be upon him) to be Nur, therefore I consider it important to prove from Imam Suyuti (rah) at first.

Imam Jalal ud din Suyuti (R) said: Ibn Sabih (R.A) said that the shadow of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not fall on ground , because the "PROPHET WAS NUR"

[Al Khasais ul Kubra of Imam Suyuti, Volume No. 1, Page No. 169]

Imam Fakhr ud din Razi (R)أن الملائكة أمروا بالسجود لآدم لأجل أن نور محمد عليه السلام في جبهة آدم.

Translation: The Angels were ordered to prostate to Adam because there was Nur of Muhammad(صلى الله عليه وسلم)in forehead of Adam
[Imam Fakhr ud din Razi in Tafsir ul Kabir, Volume No. 2, Page No. 302]

Allama Alusi (R)وكونه صلى الله عليه وسلم رحمة للجميع باعتبار أنه عليه الصلاة والسلام واسطة الفيض الإلهي على الممكنات على حسب القوابل، ولذا كان نوره صلى الله عليه وسلم أول المخلوقات، ففي الخبر " أول ما خلق الله تعالى نور نبيك يا جابر " وجاء " الله تعالى المعطي وأنا القاسم " وللصوفية قدستأسرارهم في هذا الفصل كلام فوق ذلك،

Translation: "The Prophet's being a mercy to all is linked to the fact that he is the intermediary of the divine outpouring over all contingencies [i.e. all created things without exception], from the very beginnings(wasitat al-fayd al-ilahi `ala al-mumkinat `ala hasab al-qawabil), and that is why his light was the first of all things created, as stated in the report that "The first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet, O Jabir," and also cited is: "Allah is the Giver and I am the Distributor." The Sufis have more to say on that chapter." [Tafsir Ruh al Ma’ani Volume 17 Page 105]

Imam Abu Hanifa (R)

Imam Abu Hanifa (Rahimuhullah) said: You are the Nur from which even the moon of 14th night receives light, and from your Nur is the sun shinning[Qasida al Nauman, Page No. 23]

Mullah Ali Qari (R)

Mullah Ali Qari (Rehmat'Ullah Alaih) said:The heart of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), his body is completely Nur[Sharah ash-Shifa, Hashiya Naseem ur Riyaaz]

Mujaddad Alf Thaani (R)

Mujaddad Alf Thaani (Rehmat'Ullah Alaih) said: It should be known that creation of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is not similar to other mankind, rather nothing in the created world resembles the way he were created, because Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is created from (created) Nur of Allah, just as Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) mentioned himself.[Maktubat Mujaddad Alf Thani]

Sheikh Muhadith Haq Dhelvi (R)

Sheikh Muhadith Haq Dhelvi (Rehmat'Ullah Alaih) said: The source of creation, universe, creation of Adam is Nur of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), hence It has come in Sahih hadith that the first thing which Allah created was My Nur[Madarij al Nabuwah, Volume No.2, Page No. 2]

Sheikh ul Akbar, Muhayuddin Ibn Arabi (R) proves that:

Nur of Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was the first of creation [Fatukhat al Makiyyah Volume No. 1, Page No. 119]

Sheikh Abdul Qadir al Jilani (R) said in his book Sirr-al-Asrar:

سر الأسرار إلى عبد القادر الجيلاني ، معي الآن مقطع منه فيما يتعلق بهذه الفقرة، يقول: ' اعلم وفقك الله لما يحب ويرضى، لقد خلق الله تعالى روح محمد صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أولاً: من نوره وجماله،
Allah created the Ruh of Muhammad (Peace be upon him) from his Nur of beauty [Al-Sirr al Israr]

Shah Abdur Rahim Dhelvi (ra) the father of great Shah Wali Ullah Muhadith Dhelvi (ra) said:

Every creation from Arsh to land, the angels, the Jinns are created from the Haqiqat al Muhammadiyah and Prophet (saw) has himself said: The first thing which Allah created was my Nur [Infaas ar Rahmiyah, Page No. 13]

Shah Wali Ullah Muhadith Dhelvi (R) has narrated in Fayudh al Haramayn the hadith of Allah first creating the Nur of Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam) and he has not rejected it.

Ismail Dhelvi the founder of Wahabi sect in Sub continent said:

The Status of Khatam an Anabiyeen (salallaho alaihi wasalam) is that he is the first of creation, as the the hadith of Allah first creating Nur of Muhammad (salallaho alaihi wasalam) testifies [Risala Yak Roza]

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And Finally Sahabi (R.A)

tarahhala ‘an qawmin faddalat `uqulahum

Wa halla `ala qawmin bi nurin mujaddadi

He left a people who preferred their minds over him

And he dawned on a people with a light made new.

mata yabdu fi al-daji al-bahimi jabinuhu

Yaluhu mithla misbahi al-duja al-mutawaqqidi

Whenever his forehead emerged in pitch-black darkness

It would shine like the blazing luminary of dark night.

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Hassan ibn Thabit (RA) recites this beautiful poetry

Bayhaqi narrated the two verses in Dala’il al-Nubuwwa (1:280, 302).

The latter verse is also narrated Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Isti ‘ab (1:341) and

al-Zarqani in Sharh al-Mawahib (1:91).

Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, described the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, thus:

aminun mustafa li al-khayri yad`u ka daw’i al-badri zayalahu al-zalamu

A trustworthy one, chosen, calling to goodness, resembling the light of the full moon set off from darkness.

‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, would recite the following:

law kunta min shay’in siwa basharin

Kunta al-mudi’a li laylat al-badri

If you were anything other than a human being.

You would be the light in the night of a full moon.

Bayhaqi narrated the above in Dala’il al-Nubuwwa (1:301-302).

Al-Zuhri narrated: ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib was the most handsome man that had ever been seen among the Quraysh. One day he went out and was seen by an assembly of the women of Quraysh. One of them said: ‘O women of the Quraysh, which among you will marry this youth and catch thereby the light that is between his eyes? For verily there was a light between his eyes.”

Thereafter Amina bint Wahb ibn ‘Abd Manaf ibn Zuhra married him, and after he joined her she carried the Messenger of Allah.

Al-Bayhaqi narrated it in Dala’il al-Nubuwwa (1:87). Al-Tabari in his Tarikh (2:243), Ibn al-Jawzi in al-Wafa’’ (p. 82-83, chapter 16 of Abwab bidayati nabiyyina).

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Light of Allah

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the Lightof Allah, something a believer can say because the Qur’an affirms it in the verse:

"There has come to you a Light from Allah, and a Manifest Book"(Qur’an 5:15).

in which the word Light has been explained by a number of classic Qur’anic exegetes as follows:

Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti: "It is the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)" (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, 139).

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari: "By Light He means Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), through whom Allah has illuminated the truth, manifested Islam, and obliterated polytheism; since he is a light for whoever seeks illumination from him, which makes plain the truth" (Jami‘ al-bayan, 6.161).

Fakhr al-Razi: "There are various positions about it, the first being that the Light is Muhammad, and the Book is the Qur’an " (al-Tafsir al-kabir, 11:194).

al-Baghawi: "It means Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), or, according to a weaker position, Islam" (Ma‘alam al-Tanzil, 2.228).

Qurtubi (Ahkam al-Qur’an , 6.118) and Mawardi (al-Nukat wa al-‘uyun, 2.22) mention that interpreting Nur as "Muhammad" (Allah bless him and give him peace) was also the position by [the Imam of Arabic grammar Ibrahim ibn Muhammad] al-Zajjaj (d. 311/923).

All of which shows that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), is a light from Allah, according to the Qur’an . This is the interpretation of the earliest exegetes, for al-Tabari was the sheikh of the salaf (early Muslims) in tafsir; while explaining Nur as "Islam" is an interpretation that came later.

As for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) being abashar or ‘human being’, there is no doubt of this, because it is Qur’an and ‘aqida. Yet the Qur’an does not simply state that he is a human being, but rather says,

"Say: I am but a man like you who is divinely inspired that your god is but One God" (Qur’an 18:110)

The important qualificatory phrase in this verse shows us that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was a completely different sort of human being from anyone else, then or now. For none of us can say he is divinely inspired as theMessenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) was. Rather, as is said in a poetic ode to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) which is often sung at gatherings after singing the Qasida al-Burda [Ode of the Prophetic Mantle] by

al- Busayri:

Muhammad is a human being, but not like humankind;
He is a ruby, while people are as stones.

Though the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the Light of Allah, he is of course a created light. Someone who believes otherwise has made the mistake of the Christians with Jesus (upon whom be peace), or the Hindus with their Avatars.

Nur Allah does not show that this Nur or ‘Light’ is an attribute of Allah. Rather, the ascriptive construction in this case is a kind called idafa tashrif, or an ‘ascription of ennoblement’, like the title Bayt Allah ‘The House of Allah’ for the Kaaba in Mecca, named this for its nobility, not that Allah lives inside, much less that it is divine attribute. Or like the she-camel that was sent to Thamud, which was called in the Qur’an Naqat Allah ‘The She-Camel of Allah’ as an ascription of ennoblement; namely, because of its inviolability in the Shari‘a of that time—not that it was ridden by Allah, or was a divine attribute.

As for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) being the first of creation, among the Islamic scholars who have compiled works on his characteristics is the hadith master (hafiz) Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti with his two-volume hadith work al-Khasa’is al-kubra [The greater compendium of unique attributes], of which the first chapter is entitled:

"The Uniqueness of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in Being the First of the Prophets to Be Created, the Priority of His Prophethood, and the Taking of the Covenant with Him."

The chapter’s first hadith was reported by Ibn Abi Hatim in his Tafsir [Qur’anic exegesis] , and by Abu Nu‘aym in Dala’il al-nabuwwa [Proofs of prophethood], from numerous chains of transmission, from Qatada, who related it from Hasan [al-Basri], from Abu Hurayra (Allah be well pleased with him), that of the Qur’anic verse:

"And lo, We took from the prophets their covenant, and from you, and Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus son of Mary; and We took from them a momentous covenant" (Qur’an 33:7)

that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "I was the first of the Prophets to be created and the last of them to be sent."

Suyuti records nine other hadiths indicating that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was the first of the prophets to be created; among them the hadith reported by Bukhari in his Tarikh [History], and by Ahmad, Tabarani, Hakim, and Bayhaqi, that Maysara al-Fajr (Allah be well pleased with him) said, "I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), when were you a Prophet?’ and he said, ‘While Adam was between soul and body’" (al-Khasa’is al-kubra, 3-4).

As for "a hadith in Tirmidhi that states that the prophets (upon whom be peace) were created from the Nur of Allah and the first amongst them was the prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace),"

I find it hard to imagine that it is in Tirmidhi or elsewhere with an acceptable channel of transmission, for Suyuti would hardly have failed to mention it in his Khasa’is, since this is the sort of thing the book is about, and Suyuti is a hadith master (hafiz), yet it is not there.

In any case, the Qur’an is sufficient about the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) being a light from Allah.

Finally, in the metaphysic of the Sufis, or at least those whom I have met, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is both the ‘Light of Allah’ and ‘a human being’, and the inability to join between the two aspects is a lack of understanding of the greatness of al-Haqiqa al-Muhammadiyya, the ‘Muhammadan Reality’.

To gain an idea of their point of departure, we may note that the entire universe has been created by Allah in order that His names and attributes might be manifest, that is, in order that He might be known, for He says,

"Nor did I create jinn and men, except to worship Me" (Qur’an 51:56).

al-Baghawi: Mujahid [ibn Jabr al-Makki (d. 104/722)], said this means ‘except to know Me’ which is a sound interpretation, since if He had not created them, they would not have known His existence and His oneness (Ma‘alam al-tanzil, 5.230).

Now, the divine names, such as, al-Rahman ‘the All-merciful’,al-Karim ‘the Most Generous’, al-Rafi‘ ‘He-Who-Raises’, al-Khafid ‘He-Who-Lowers’, al-Sabur ‘the Most Patient’ al-Muntaqim ‘the Avenger’, and the others, entail and comprise the existence of the entire spectrum of human conditions—but particularly, ultimately, eternally, and at their fullest manifestation—the outcomes of paradise and hell.

These outcomes in their turn entail a logos or determining order that governs them, an illuminatory law that renders them and the states of their inhabitants transparent and intelligible, an ultimate standard. This is what we call the Shari‘ia or ‘Sacred Law’, inseparable in principle from its divine origin, for it is one with Allah’s speech, the Qur’an , and the sunna, His act of inspiration to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Part of the Law is that "none of you shall enter paradise by his works" (rather through Allah’s mercy), but the levels within it do correspond to works whose qualities and conditions are given in the revelation.

From the point of view of manifesting the divine attributes and names—their ultimate outcomes consisting in the destinies of human beings, without which they would remain unmanifest—the appearance of the Islamic Shari‘a, in its final and perfected form at the end of human history, is the raison d’être, or ‘reason for being’, of the whole created universe; and ontologically prior to it in the timelessly preeternal knowledge of Allah Most High.

And the focal point of this light of lights, the head of the whole matter of its appearance, and the site of its manifestation—in a sense the résumé of all created being and occasion for its appearance—is the al-Haqiqa al-Muhammadiyya, or ‘Muhammadan Reality’ the Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), whose consciousness was identical with this Shari‘a.

We cannot ever claim to know all of the Prophet’s perfections(Allah bless him and give him peace), only that Allah describes him in His book as ‘light’; while at the same time, he had to be a human being, in order that the Sacred Law could be manifest, and the imperative of obeying it be binding on every human being.

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‘Allamah ‘Abd al-Hayy al-Laknawi (d. 1304 AH/1887 CE) stated in his

Al-Athar al-Marfu’ah fi l-Akhbar al-Mawdu’ah:

From them is what they mention at the commemoration of the Prophetic birth that the light of Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) was created from the light of Allah in the sense that His Holy Essence became a substance for his illuminated soul, and that He (Exalted is He) took a handful of His light and created from it his light.

This is sophistic talk since the essence of our Lord (Glorified and Blessed is He) is transcendent beyond being a substance of [any] besides Him.

Taking a handful of His light does not mean that a part of him was cut off and made into the light of His Prophet because the concomitant of that is divisibility (tajazzi) and other things that follow from that in His essence (Exalted is Him), Transcendent is Allah beyond that.

That which brought them into this dark quandary is the outward [meaning] of the narration of ‘Abd al-Razzaq in his Musannaf from Jabir [that] he said: I said “O Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace)! My father and mother be sacrificed for you! Tell me of the first thing Allah created before all things.” He said, “O Jabir! Verily, Allah created the light of your Prophet from His light before all things, and He made that light turn by [His] Power wherever Allah wished, and at that time there was no Tablet and no Pen, no Garden and no Fire, no Angel and no Heaven, no earth and no sun and no moon, no jinni and no man.”

The hadith is mentioned in its entirety in al-Mawahib al-Ludaniyyah and other [works].

They erred in understanding the Prophetic meaning and they do not know that the ascription (idafah) in his statement “from His light” is like the ascription in His (Exalted is He) statement in the story of the creation of Adam,

“I breathed into him of My spirit” (15:29) and like His statement in the story of our master ‘Isa “a spirit from Him” (4:171) and like their statement, “The house of Allah” for the Ka’bah and mosques, and their statement, “The spirit of Allah” for ‘Isa etc.

Al-Zurqani said in Sharh al-Mawahib in the commentary of his statement, “from His light”:

[This is] an ascription of ennoblement (idafat al-tashrif) and to notify that he is a wonderful creation and that he has a rank which has a certain relationship with the esteemed lordship according to the meaning of His (Exalted is He) statement “and He breathed into him from His spirit.” This is a rhetorical (bayaniyyah) [sentence], meaning: “from the light of His essence”, not in the sense that it is a substance for the creation of his light, rather in the sense of the [Divine] Will pertained to it without the mediation of anything when bringing it into existence. End.

He also said some pages before this:

As for what is mentioned that Allah took a handful of the light of His Face and cast a look at it so it perspired and dropped, so Allah created out of every drop a prophet, and that the handful was the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) and he was like a brilliant star, and that the entire world was created out of it and he was existent before his parents were created and he memorised the Qur’an before Jibril came to him and things like these,Hafiz Abu l-’Abbas Ahmad ibn Taymiyah said in hisFatawa and Hafiz ibn Kathir quoted it in his Tarikh and agreed with him that all these things are fabricated lies about his speech by agreement of the people of knowledge. End

Note:

The primacy and the definite priority of the creation of the Muhammadan light are established in the narration of ‘Abd al-Razzaq. The hadith, “The first of what Allah created is my light” is famous amongst the story-tellers, although it is a hadith not established in this form, even though other [narrations] were narrated that agree with it in meaning.

Al-Suyuti said in his commentary on Jami’ al-Tirmidhicalled Qut al-Mughtadhi when commenting on the hadith, “Verily the first that Allah created is the Pen”:

Zayn al-’Arab said in Sharh al-Masabih:

“This hadith is contradicted by that which was narrated that

‘the first that Allah created was the Intellect’, and

‘the first that Allah created was my light’, and

‘the first that Allah created was the Spirit’, and

‘the first that Allah created was the Throne.’

Its response is that the primacy of things is relative, so it is understood that each of what was mentioned was first in its [own] genus. Hence, the pen was created before all bodies, his (upon him blessings and peace) light was created before all lights, and the hadith of the Intellect is understood as the first that Allah created of subtle bodies is the Intellect, and from the dense [bodies] is the Throne,so there is no contradiction between any of them.” [Here] ends the statement of Zayn al-’Arab.

I say: the hadith of Intellect is fabricated and the other three were not narrated with this wording so the interpretation is dispensable.

I say: similar to “the first that Allah created is my light” in not being established textually but having been transmitted in meaning, is that which is famous on the tongues of the story-tellers and the general and the elite of the hadith, “Were it not for you, I would not have created the celestial bodies”.

‘Ali al-Qari said in Tadhkirat al-Mawdu’at:

[Regarding] the hadith, “Were it not for you, I would not have created the celestial bodies,” al-’Asqalani said, “[It is] mawdu‘”, as [mentioned] in al-Khulasah. However, its meaning is correct, since al-Daylami narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas in marfu’ form: Jibril came to me and said: Allah said, “O Muhammad! Were it not for you, I would not have created the Garden and were it not for you I would not have created the Fire.” End

Al-Qastallani mentioned in al-Mawahib al-Laduniya and al-Zurqani in its commentary that al-Hakim transmitted in his Mustadrak from ‘Umar in marfu’ form that Adam saw the name “Muhammad” written on the throne and Allah said to Adam, “Were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created you.”

Abu l-Shaykh in Tabaqat al-Asfahaniyyin and al-Hakim narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas: Allah revealed to ‘Isa, “Believe in Muhammad and command your people to believe in him for were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created Adam or the Garden or the Fire and indeed I created the Throne on water and it shook, so I wrote on it: ‘No deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’” ‘Amr ibn Aws is in its sanad and he is unknown.

Al-Dhahabi said: According to al-Daylami from Ibn ‘Abbas who elevated it [to the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace)], “Jibril came to me and said: Indeed Allah says ‘Were it not for you, I would not create the Garden and were it not for you, I would not create the Fire.’”

Similar [is the narration] that has become famous on the tongues of story-tellers of the hadith, “I was a Prophet while Adam was between water and clay” and in a narration, “I was a Prophet and there was no Adam, no water and no clay,” because al-Sakhawi in al-Maqasid al-Hasanah, while explaining many of the hadiths which are common on the tongues, and al-Suyuti in al-Durar al-Muntashirah fi l-Akhbar al-Mushtahirah and others clarified that it is mawdu’ with this wording.

Yes, it is established from al-Hakim in his Mustadrakand authenticated by Abu Nu’aym in Hilyat al-Awliya’ andal-Bukhari in his Tarikh and Ahmad in his Musnad fromMaysarah al-Dabbi: I said, “O Messenger of Allah! When were you a Prophet?” He said, “While Adam was between spirit and body.”

According to al-Bayhaqi and Ahmad, [they narrated] from the hadith of al-’Irbad ibn Sariyah in marfu’ form, “Verily I was the Seal of the Prophets by Allah while Adam was still in clay” and according to al-Tirmidhi, [he narrated] from Abu Hurayrah that they [i.e. the Companions] said, “O Messenger of Allah! When was prophethood incumbent upon you?” He said, “While Adam was between spirit and body.”

[Al-Athar al-Marfu’ah fi l-Akhbar al-Mawdu’ah, (From Majmu’ah Rasa’il al-Lakhnawi, volume 5, Edited by: Na’im Ashraf Nur Ahmad, Published by:Intisharat Shaykh al-Islam Ahmad Jami].

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"If it was not for Muhammad,
I would not have created you."

[Mustadrak Haakim, Volume 2, Page 615]

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"Should I be witness on this"

and they answered yes!

It has been said that when Allah created the Noor of our beloved Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم), He ordered His Noor to turn towards the Anwaar (plural of Noor) of the Ambiya.

Hence, part of His Noor covered their anwaar so completely that they had to ask, "O our Rabb! Who has covered our Noor?"

Allah replied, "It is the Noor of Muhammad, the son of Abdullah, if you bring Imaan on him, I shall make you a prophet." They submitted, We bring Imaan on him (RasulAllah) and his prophethood (Nubuwah)." Allah said, "Should I be witness on this" and they answered yes.

81. Behold! Allah took the Covenant of the prophets, saying: "I give you a Book and Wisdom; then comes to you an apostle, confirming what is with you; do ye believe In Him and render Him help."

Allah said: "Do ye agree, and take This My Covenant As binding on you?"

They said: "We agree."

He said: "Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses."

[Surah Aale-Imraan, Verse 81 ]

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Article Quotes:

" Some of the Prophet’s Companions were given to see thislight as even brighter than both the sun and moon, for when they walked with him they noticed that he cast no shadow on the ground.[ al-Hakim al-Tirmidhi]

Those who saw him in the full moon noticed that his blessed face was brighter than the moon, and one of his Companions, theLady Rubayyi‘, when asked to describe him, said, "My son, had you seen him, you would have seen the sun shining."[ Tirmidhi]

The light of the Prophet shone at all levels, it filled the material, intermediary, and spiritual worlds, dispelled the darkness of ignorance and disbelief, and is destined to shine across the ages till the end of time.

That this light was physical as well as spiritual was borne witness to most amply by those who saw him.

The Lady ‘A‘isha related how she saw the whole room fill with light one night, then it disappeared, while the Prophet continued to call upon his Lord. Then the room was filled with a more powerful light which disappeared after a while.
She asked, "What is this light I saw?" he said, "Did you see it. O ‘A‘isha?" "Yes!" she replied.
He said, "I asked my Lord to grant me my nation, so He gave me one third of them, so I praised and thanked Him. Then I asked him for the rest, so He gave me the second third, so I praised and thanked Him. Then I asked Him for the third third, so He gave it to me, so I praised and thanked Him."
She said that had she wished to pick up mustard seeds from the floor by this light she could have.[ Abu Nu'aym in Hilia.]

In the famous description of Hind ibn Abi Hala, the Prophet’s stepson from the Lady Khadija, "He was dignified and awe inspiring, radiant like the radiance of the moon on the night it is full…"[ Tirmidhi in Shama'il, Bayhaqi, Tabarani, and ibn Sa'd.]

Ibn ‘Abbas described how he saw light shining from between his front teeth. [ Tirmidhi in Shama'il, Darimi, Bayhaqi, Tabarani, and ibn Asakir.]

Abu Qursafa, as a boy, went to swear allegiance to the Prophet, together with his mother and her sister. When they returned home they told him, " My son, we have never seen the like of this man, nor anyone better looking, cleaner dressed, or gentler in his speech; and we saw as if light came out of his mouth." [Tabarani]

The Companion, Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, described how, when the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, first entered Madina, everything in Madina became illuminated, then how, when he died and was buried in ‘A’isha’s house, the light disappeared.

The phenomenon was so sudden that the Companions were taken aback and began to doubt whether they had really seen it at all. [Ahmad and ibn Majah]

This was only the light that radiated from his blessed body, for Madina itself remained the city of Light.

Abū Hurayra related how they were once praying the night prayer of ‘isha’ with the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, and how the Prophet’s two grandsons, Hasan andHusayn climbed onto his back when he went into prostration. When he was done, he placed one of them on his right and the other on his left.

Abu Hurayra asked him, "Shall I take them to their mother?" he replied, "No". Then a flashing light appeared from the sky, at which he said, "go to your mother."The light remained until they reached their house. [ Ahmad, Hakim, and Bazar]

On another occasion, Anas said that, he accompanied the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, into the mosque where they saw a group of people with their hands raised, calling upon Allah. "Do you see in their hands what I see?" the Prophet asked.

"What is in their hands?" Anas replied.

"There is light in their hands," replied the Prophet.

"Ask Allah the Exalted to show it to me," said Anas.

At the Prophet’s request, Allah showed it to him. [Bukhari in Tarikh, Bayhaqi and Abu Nu'aym]

Another Companion, ‘Amr al-Aslami, said that once they were with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, on a very dark night and lost sight of each other.

Suddenly ‘Amr’s fingers shone forth with light so that they were able to round up their mounts and gather again. The light did not subside until they had finished gathering. [20]

As for Abu ‘Abs, he used to pray all the ritual prayers with the Prophet, then walk back to his dwelling, at Bani Haritha, a few miles from the mosque. One dark rainy night, as he left the mosque, his staff was made to shine forth with light, so that he was able to walk safely back home.[21]

On another occasion, two of the Prophet’s well known Companions, Usayd ibn Hudayr and ‘Abbad ibn Bishr, left the Prophet’s house late on a dark night. The tip of the staff of one of them lit up like a lamp and they were able to walk. When they came to the place where they usually separated, the tip of the other staff lit up as well.[22]

Another Companion, al-Tufayl ibn ‘Amr al-Dawsi, related how, after his first visit to the Prophet, when he accepted Islam and was about to return to his tribe, he asked the Prophet for a sign to show to his tribesmen, at which a light shone forth from his forehead. He exclaimed, "Not here, O Messenger of Allah, they will think it a curse!" So the Prophet moved the light to the tip of al- Tufayl’s whip. He returned to his tribe with this sign and most of them accepted Islam.[23]

Ka‘b ibn Zuhayr was a man from Muzayna, a highly talented poet who used his talent against the Prophet and his companions. Once Macca had been conquered, Ka`b became a fugitive, aware that the Prophet had ordered him executed. His brother, Bujayr, was a Muslim. He sent Ka`b a message that he could only save his life if he came to the Prophet repentant.Eventually Ka‘b agreed to this and came to Madina. The Prophet forgave him, accepted his allegiance, and gave him permission to recite the poem Ka`b had composed in his praise. When he came to the passage,

The Messenger is a light that illuminates

An Indian blade, a sword of Allah, drawn

the Prophet took his mantle, his burda, off his shoulders and put it on Ka‘b’s, signalling his approval.
The best swords of the time were Indian and the connection between the sword and light is that the Arabs signalled the way by standing on a rise and brandishing their swords in the sun so that they flashed like mirrors. [24]

The light of the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, manifested itself in his parents before and during his birth. His biographers have recorded that his father’sforehead shone with a light that a certain women from Quraysh noticed. She knew that the appearance of the Prophet of the End of Time was imminent and felt that ‘Abdallah’s forehead signalled his being the father. She offered herself to him, but he refused.

Soon `Abdallah married Amina and, once she became pregnant with the Prophet, the light vanished from his forehead. He met the same woman again and, noticing she no longer wanted him, asked her why. She replied that he no longercarried that light on his forehead.[25]

As for the Lady Amina, when she became pregnant, she saw in a dream-vision that a light came out of her that lit the land as far north as Syria.[26]

She was also told in her dream that she was pregnant with the master of this nation and the sign of that would be that when she gave birth to him she would see a light coming out with him that would shine over Bosra in Syria. "When this happens", she was told, "call him Muhammad!"[27]

"I conceived him, " she said, "and suffered no pain until delivery. When he came out of me, a light came out with him thatilluminated everything from East to West…"[28]

She also said, "I saw the night I gave birth to him a light that illuminated the palaces of Syria so that I saw them."[29]

The Prophet later confirmed this, saying, "My mother saw, when she gave birth to me, a light that illuminated the palaces of Bosra."[30]

This event is also a very clear indication of the spiritual rank of the Lady Amina, for to see the palaces of Bosra in Syria from Macca demands the spiritual vision of sanctity. Later, the Prophet’s uncle, ‘Abbas, praised him with a poem, on his return from the Tabuk expedition, saying:

You, when you were born, the earth was lit

And with your light so was the sky

When his wet-nurse, Halima al-Sa‘dia, first saw him, she laid her hand on him and he smiled. "When he smiled," she said, "alight appeared from his mouth that rose to the sky."[

Bayhaqi, Abu Nu'aym, ibn Ishaq and Abu Ya'la]

Some of the hadiths we have quoted here have strong chains of transmission, others have weaker ones. However, we mustremember that even the chain considered weakest by Muslim traditionists, is quite acceptable as historical proof to any professional historian on this planet, being far stronger and better authenticated than other ancient sources he works with. It is also well known that weak traditionsstrengthen each other so as to become acceptable. This is why those we have quoted here have been accepted by leading scholars such as Ibn Kathir, Suyutiī, Qadi ‘Iyad, Bayhaqi, and others.

Commenting on the verse of Qur’an,"There has come to you a light from Allah and a clear Book,"(5:15) the well-known scholaral-Alusi says that the light in question is no other than the Prophet, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him.

He quotes the Follower, Qatada, as an authoritative source for this opinion, as well as other well known scholars, pointing out that this is the most logical interpretation of the construction of the verse, Then he also quotes those whose opinion differs from his in that they believe that both the light and the Book refer to the Qur’an. This he does because real Muslim scholars, as opposed to pretenders and impostors, always quote, along with their own opinions, the contrary opinions of other reputable scholars, so weighing both in the most objective manner. Qadi ‘Iyad, the famous author of al-Shifa’, is of the same opinion as al-Alusi, an opinion, an opinion shared by other famous commentators such as Tabari and Qurtubi.

Although the Prophet’s light is the most powerful in the universe, since he is the nearest created being to Allah, it is not the only one. Angels are made of light, the Qur’an is light, thespirits of human beings are light, faith is light, knowledge islight, the sun, the moon, and the stars are also lights. The lightof each human being depends upon his faith, knowledge, and virtue. Thus the most powerful lights are those of Divine Messengers, then those of Prophets, saints, virtuous believers, and finally those of sinful believers. This is the hierarchy of human beings. Both the first and the last are human, all have lights, and all are slaves of Allah, but the distance between the top of the pyramid and its bottom is so great that those at the bottom, in Paradise, will see those at the top as distant as, in this world, we see the stars at night.[

Tirmidhi]

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20. Bukhari in Tarikh, Bayhaqi and Tabarani.

21. Bayhaqi.

22. Bukhari

23. Ibn Hisham.

24. Ibn Ishaq.

25. Ibn Hisham.

26. Hakim, Ahmad, Bazzar, Tabarani, Bayhaqi and Abu Nu'aym.

27. Ibn Ishaq.

28. Ibn Sa'd, Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Abu Nu'aym, Abu Ya'la, Ibn Ishaq.

29. Abu Nu'aym.

30. Ibn Sa'd, Ahmad, Bazzar, Tabarani, Abu Nu'aym, and ibn Asakir.

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"There has come to you a Light from

Allah, and a Manifest Book"

(Qur’an 5:15).

Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti: "It is the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)" (Tafsir al-Jalalayn, 139).

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari: "By Light He means Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), through whom Allah has illuminated the truth, manifested Islam, and obliterated polytheism; since he is a light for whoever seeks illumination from him, which makes plain the truth" (Jami‘ al-bayan, 6.161).

Fakhr al-Razi: "There are various positions about it, the first being that the Light is Muhammad, and the Book is the Qur’an " (al-Tafsir al-kabir, 11:194).

al-Baghawi: "It means Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), or, according to a weaker position, Islam" (Ma‘alam al-Tanzil, 2.228).

Qurtubi (Ahkam al-Qur’an , 6.118) and Mawardi (al-Nukat wa al-‘uyun, 2.22) mention that interpreting Nur as "Muhammad" (Allah bless him and give him peace) was also the position by [the Imam of Arabic grammar Ibrahim ibn Muhammad] al-Zajjaj (d. 311/923).

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Though the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the Light of Allah, he is of course a created light. Someone who believes otherwise has made the mistake of the Christians withJesus (upon whom be peace), or the Hindus with their Avatars.

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As for the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) being the first of creation, among the Islamic scholars who have compiled works on his characteristics is the hadith master (hafiz) Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti with his two-volume hadith workal-Khasa’is al-kubra [The greater compendium of unique attributes], of which the first chapter is entitled

"The Uniqueness of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) in Being the First of the Prophets to Be Created, the Priority of His Prophethood, and the Taking of the Covenant with Him."

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The chapter’s first hadith was reported by Ibn Abi Hatim in his Tafsir [Qur’anic exegesis] , and by Abu Nu‘aym in Dala’il al-nabuwwa [Proofs of prophethood], from numerous chains of transmission, from Qatada, who related it from Hasan [al-Basri], from Abu Hurayra (Allah be well pleased with him), that of the Qur’anic verse

"And lo, We took from the prophets their covenant, and from you, and Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus son of Mary; and We took from them a momentous covenant" (Qur’an 33:7)

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, "I was the first of the Prophets to be created and the last of them to be sent."

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Suyuti records nine other hadiths indicating that the Prophet(Allah bless him and give him peace) was the first of the prophets to be created; among them the hadith reported byBukhari in his Tarikh [History], and by Ahmad, Tabarani, Hakim, and Bayhaqi, that Maysara al-Fajr (Allah be well pleased with him) said, "I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), when were you a Prophet?’ andhe said, ‘While Adam was between soul and body’" (al-Khasa’is al-kubra, 3-4).

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As for "a hadith in Tirmidhi that states that the prophets (upon whom be peace) were created from the Nur of Allah and thefirst amongst them was the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace),"

I find it hard to imagine that it is in Tirmidhi or elsewhere with an acceptable channel of transmission, for Suyuti would hardly have failed to mention it in his Khasa’is, since this is the sort of thing the book is about, and Suyuti is a hadith master (hafiz),yet it is not there.

???

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In any case, the Qur’an is sufficient about the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) being a light from Allah.

The Holy Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) is both the ‘Light of Allah’ and ‘a human being’, and the inability to join between the two aspects is a lack of understanding of the greatness of al-Haqiqa al-Muhammadiyya, the ‘Muhammadan Reality’.

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The Early Years - Prophecies Prophet and the Signs of the Day

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(Edited by ADHM)

Which is Light (Nur)?

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Which is Light (Nur)?

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