Appearance
A Discussion of the Narrations
1) The Mission of the Noble Prophet is the Answered Prayer of Abraham
On the authority of Abū Umama, who said: I asked, “O Messenger of God! What was the beginning of your matter?” He said, “The prayer of my father Abraham, and the glad tidings of Jesus son of Mary, and my mother saw that something came out of her that illuminated the palaces of Syria.”(183)
The Prophet said: “I am the prayer of my father Abraham and the glad tidings of Jesus (peace be upon them both).”(184)
Note: The prayer of Abraham is the one mentioned in the noble verse: “Our Lord, send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise” [Sūrah al-Baqara: 129]. In the exegetical discussion, it was explained that the Noble Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (s.a.w.), is one of the best examples of the “messenger” in this noble verse, not its exclusive instance.
The Qur’an relates the glad tidings of Jesus about the mission of the Noble Prophet as follows: “And [mention] when Jesus, the son of Mary, said, ‘O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of God to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.’”(185) The fact that Jesus Christ referred to the news of the coming of the Noble Prophet of Islam as “glad tidings” and that God Almighty approved this expression, indicates that while conveying this unseen report, he also expressed to his community the superiority of the future prophet over himself. This is because “glad tidings” are applicable to new, superior, and more perfect matters and subjects. If the status of the new prophet and his words and law were at the same level as the previous prophet and his law and method, the announcement of his coming would merely be a report of the continuation of prophethood and not a cause for glad tidings.
2) The Instance of Wisdom
The Messenger of God (s.a.w.) said: “God has given me the Qur’an and an equal amount of wisdom.”(186)
Note: Wisdom can be the same as the Sunnah, which is derived from the inner meaning of the Qur’an. It can also be rational proofs that play a significant role in uncovering hidden principles, so that Qur’anic subjects become demonstrative and are presented to those eager for knowledge and understanding in the form of technical teaching and instruction, or appear in the form of debate and discourse of the best argumentation. This is because rational proof is also an instance of wisdom, just as learning methodology, which protects the seeker of knowledge from any kind of error, is also part of the Noble Prophet’s program: “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom”(187). Just as the Noble Prophet first learns the main subject from God and then teaches it, he also first learns the wise method and technique of teaching and invitation from God, and then applies it and transfers it to others through its application.