Part 72

________________________________________________________ The author, may Allaah the Most High have mercy upon him, makes clear that Allaah sent all of the messengers as bringers of good tidings and warner's, as Allaah, the Most High, says, "Messengers who were sent with the good news of Allaah's reward for those who obey Allaah and believe in His messengers, and as warner's of Allaah's punishment for those who disobey Allaah and disbelieve in His messengers.” [surah an-Nisaa (4):165] They gave glad tidings of Paradise for those who obeyed them, and they warned those who opposed them of the Fire. So the sending of the messengers had very great and wise reasons, from the most important of which - indeed the most important of which - was so that the proof should be established upon the people; so that no excuse remained for them before Allaah after the sending of the messengers, just as Allaah, the Most High, says, "So that those who disbelieve in Allaah and worship others besides Him may have no excuse to avoid punishment after the sending of the messengers." [surah an-Nisaa (4): 165] Also from this wisdom is that it is from the completion of Allaah's blessing upon His servants. This is because no matter how fine human intellect is it cannot, on its own reach the details of that which it is obligatory to affirm for Allaah, with regard to the rights that are particular to Allaah, the Most High. Nor can it reach knowledge of those perfect attributes that are to be affirmed for Allaah, the Most High, nor knowledge of His perfect names. Therefore Allaah sent the Messengers, 'alayhimus-salaatn, as bringers of glad tidings and warner's; and with them He sent the Book, in truth, so that they should judge between the people regarding that which they differed about. So the greatest affair that the messengers, from the first of them: Muhammad (^), called to was tawhid, just as Allaah, the Most High, says, "We sent a messenger to every nation ordering them that they should worship AUaah alone, obey Him and make their worship purely for Him, and that they should shun everything worshipped besides Allaah,” [surah an-Nahl (16):36] "We did not send any messenger before you, O Muhammad, except that We revealed to him that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, so make all of your worship purely for Him." [surah al-Ambiyaa (21):25] The first of them was Nooh, ' alayhis-salaam, and the last of them was Muhammad; and the proof that the first of them was Nooh, 'alayhissalaam, is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, "We have sent you, O Muhammad, as a Messenger with Revelation, just as We sent Revelation to Nooh and the Messengers after him” [155] [surah an-Nisaa' (4): 163]. _____________________________________________________________ Shaykh-ul-lslaam Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab, rahimahullaah, makes clear that the first of the messengers was Nooh, 'alayhis-salaam, and then he quotes as proof for that the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, "We have sent you, O Muhammad, as a Messenger with Revelation, just as We sent Revelation to Nooh and the Messengers after him." [surah an-Nisaa (4): 163] Furthermore it is established in the sahih, in the hadith of the intercession: "That the people will come to Nooh and say to him: 'You are the first messenger whom Allaah sent to the people of the earth'" [al-Bukhaaree (Eng. transl. vol.6, p.198-202, no.236); and Muslim (Eng. transl. vol.1, pp.125-126, no. 373)]. There was no Messenger (Rasool) before Nooh. We therefore know the error of those historians who say that Idrees, 'alayhis-salaam came before Nooh. Rather what is apparent is that Idrees was from the Prophets of Banee Israaeel. And the last and final Prophet was Muhammad (3g§), as Allaah, the Most High, says, "Muhammad is not the father of any of your menfolk, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the final Prophet; and Allaah knows everything that you do or say." [surah al-Ahzaab (33):40] There is no Prophet after him, so anyone who claims prophethood after him is a liar and an unbeliever (kaafir) who has apostasised from Islaam. Allaah sent a Messenger to every nation, from Nooh until Muhammad, commanding them to worship Allaah alone, and forbidding them from the worship of at-taaghoot [i.e. everything that is worshipped besides Allaah], and the proof is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High, "We sent a Messenger to every nation ordering them that they should worship Allaah alone, obey Him and make their worship purely for Him, and that they should shun everything worshipped besides Allaah" [156] [surah an-Nahl (16):36]. Allaah made it obligatory upon all of the servants to reject and disbelieve in at-taaghoot, and to have eemaan in Allaah.