07. Sublime Practice Of The Messenger

God said

Thus, [O Prophet,] if they argue with thee, say, ” I have surrendered my whole being unto God and [so have] all who follow me.”… Q.3: 20

Those who shall follow the (last) apostle, the unlettered Prophet whom they shall find described in Torah that is with them, and (later on) in the Gospel: (the Prophet) who will enjoin upon them the doing of what is right and forbid them the doing of what is wrong, and make lawful to them the good things of life and forbid them the bad things, and lift from them their burdens and the shackles that were upon them [aforetime] …Q7: 157
(A reference to the many severe rituals and obligations laid down in Mosaic law, and to the tendency towards asceticism evident in the teachings of the Gospels.)

Indeed there has come unto you [O mankind] an apostle from among yourselves: heavily weighs upon him [the thought] that you suffer [in the life to come]; full of concern for you [is he, and] full of compassion and mercy towards the believers. Q9:128

…and follow him , so that you might find guidance! Q7:158

Obedience to God is the primary goal for us, His representatives. God the Most Gracious has made our job easy through the example of Prophet’s life. Hence, “Whoever obeys the Messenger obeys God;” Q.4: 80


Prophet said

1. “I leave two things with you. You will never be misguided as long as you hold these two things fast : the Book of God and (Sublime) Practice of His Messenger.” – H: Mu’atta. N: Malik-b-Anas.

2. “What will be the condition of people who remain aloof from what I myself practice” – H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Bibi Ayesha.

3. “He who loves to follow me loves me, and he who loves me will be in paradise with me” --H: Tirmizi. N: Anas.

06. Blessings On The Messenger

God said

God and His angels bless the Prophet: [hence,] O you who have attained to Faith, bless him and give yourself up [to his guidance] in utter self-surrender! Q.33:56

God and His Angels, send blessings on the Prophet: O you that believe, send blessings on him, and salute him with all respect. Q.33:56 (Abdullah Yusufali’s translation reviewed and released by Saudi Arabia)
(A brief blessing is: ALLAHUMMA SUALLE ‘ALA MUHAMMADIUN WA ‘ALA AALEHI WASUALLAM. But the highly recommended one is DURUD-E-IBRAHIM which is recited in the salat )


Prophet said

1. “Dearest to me on the Resurrection Day will be those who will be (here) foremost in sending blessings on me” -- H: Tirmezi. N: Ibn Masud.

2. Abdullah-b-Masud reported: I was praying while the Prophet was present with Abu Bakr and Omar.(After the prayer) I sat down and began with the praise of God , then sent blessings on the Prophet and, finally, I supplicated for myself. The messenger of God said : “Seek and you will be given , seek and you will be given” – H: Tirmizi.

This shows the right way to supplicate, i.e., first to praise God, then to bless the Prophet and finally to supplicate. Supplications are suspended between heaven and the earth pending the blessings on the Prophet, according to the second caliph, Omar.

05. The Messenger of God

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God said -

Say [O Prophet, to mankind]: If you love God follow me: God will love you and forgive you your sins...Q 3:31

Whoever obeys the Messenger obeys God...Q. 4:80

Say [O Muhammad]: O mankind! Verily, I am an apostle of God to all of you, [sent by Him] unto whom the dominion over the heavens and the earth belongs! There is no deity save Him; He alone grants life and death!...Q. 7:158

(Each of the previous prophets was sent to his and only his community. Thus the Old Testament only addresses the Children of Israel. Even Jesus speaks of himself as "sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mathew 15, 24). In contrast, the message of the Qur'an is universal - ie. addressed to human beings as a whole - and it is neither time-bound nor confined to any cultural environment. It is for this reason that Muhammad through whom this message was revealed, is described in the Qur'an as an evidence of God's "grace towards all the worlds" (21:107) and as the "Seal of the Prophets" (33:40) - in other words the last of them.)


Prophet said

1. None among you can be a believer until I become dearer to him than hs father and his child and all of mankind.
- H. Bukhari and Muslim. N. Anas

2. He who obeyed me obeyed GOd, and he who disobeyed me disobeyed God.
- H. Bukhari N. Abu Hurairah

04. The Beautiful Names of God

God said -

And God's (alone) are the attributes of perfection; invoke Him, then, by these, and stand aloof from all who distort the meaning of his attributes...(ie., by applying them to other beings or objects or, alternatively, by trying to "define" God in human terms and relationships like "father" or "son" - Razi) Q.7:180

...by whichever name you invoke Him, (He is always the One - for) His are all the attributes of perfection...Q 17:110



Prophet said -

1. There are ninety-nine names of God (in the Qur'an). Whoever takes these to heart will enter paradise. - Hadith Bukhari and Muslim. Narrator: Abu Hurairah.
(Not learning by heart or counting on rosary, but to comprehend and imbibe these attributes, which 'set up the ideal for man to attain. The Prophet said "Imbue thyself with divine attributes" - Al Hadis: Mishkat-al-Masabih, Vol.3 Pg.735)

03. Excellence of Remembrance

God says -

So remember Me, and I shall remember you; and be grateful unto Me, and deny Me not. Q.2:152

And if My servants ask thee about Me ... I am near; I respond to the call of him who calls, whenever he calls unto Me: let them, then, respond unto Me, and believe in Me, so that they might follow the right way. Q.2:186

...In the remembrance of God hearts do find their rest ... Q13: 28

...And remembrance of God is indeed the greatest (good)... Q 29:45

… But remember God often so that you might attain to a happy state! Q.62:10


Prophet said -

1. “God says: I am with My servant according to his expectations of me. When he remembers Me, I am with him. If he remembers Me in his mind I remember him likewise; and if he remembers Me among people, I remember him in a better assembly than his; and if he comes one span to Me, I go one cubit to him; and if he comes one cubit to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running. ” – Hadis Qudsi: Bukhari . N: Abu Hurairah.

2, “He who remembers God and he who does not are likened to the living and the dead’ – H: Bukhari & Muslim. N: Abu Musa.

3. “Be God-conscious (and) you will find Him in front of you. Be God-conscious and God will protect you!” – H: Tirmizi. N: Abdullah ibn Abbas.


If we do not remember God the Most Gracious, we are being ungrateful to Him. It is clear, as His representatives, we have to act first and then He responds.

02. Remembrance Of God

God says -

….who remember God when they stand, when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep… Q.3:191

And never say about anything, “Behold I shall do this tomorrow,” without [adding], “if God so wills,” And if though shouldst forget [thyself at the time, and become aware of it later], call thy Sustainer to mind and say: “I pray that my Sustainer guide me, even closer than this, to a consciousness of what is right!” Q.18:23/24

But as for anyone who chooses to remain blind to the remembrance of the Most Gracious, to him We assign an [enduring] evil impulse, to become his other self: whereupon, behold, these [evil impulses] bar all such from the path [of truth], making them think that they are guided aright! Q.43:36/37


Prophet said -

1. “Phrases most liked by God are four : SUBHANALLAHI (glory be to God), WALHAMDU LIL LAHI (all praise is for God), WALA ILAHA ILLALLAHU (there is no deity except God), WALLAAHU AKBAR (God is the greatest).” -- Hadis: Bukhari and Muslim. Narrator: Samorah-b-Jandab.

2. “Two phrases are light on tongue but will carry much weight on the Day of Judgment (and) are dear to the Merciful : SUBHANAL LAHI WA BIHAMDIHI (glory be to God and I begin with His praise), WA SUBHANAL LAHIL AZEEM (and glory be to Almighty God).” -- Hadis: Bukhari and Muslim. Narrator: Abu Hurairah.

3. “Let me direct you to a treasure out of the treasures of paradise. Recite : LA HAULA WALA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAH (there is no might and no power but that of God).” -- Hadis: Bukhari and Muslim. Narrator: Abu Musa Al Ash’ari.

01. The Beginning

God says -

Bismillaa hir rahmaa nir raheem
In the name of God, the Most Graceful [rahmaan], the Most Gracious [raheem] (Q1:1)

Both the divine epithets rahmaan and raheem are derived from the noun rahmah, which signifies “mercy”, “compassion”, “loving tenderness” and more comprehensively, “grace”. From the very earliest times, Islamic scholars have endeavored to define the exact shades of meanings which differentiate the two terms. The best and simplest of these explanations is undoubtedly the one advanced by Ibn al-Qayyim (as quoted in Manar I, 48): the term rahmaan circumscribes the quality of abounding grace inherited in, and inseparable from, the concept of God’s Being, whereas raheem expresses the manifestation of that grace in, and its effect upon, His creation – in other words, an aspect of His activity.

Muslims recite this meritorious verse in the beginning of doing any activity daily. Indeed, it becomes a source of remembrance of God if recited consciously of His presence “Whatever work you may do–(remember that) We are your witness (from the moment) when you enter upon it.” Q.10:61(part)


Prophet said -

“An activity is severed (from its blessings) if not begun with the words: Bismillaa hir rahmaa nir raheem [In the name of God, the Most Graceful, the Most Gracious] “ – Hadith: Abu Daud. Narrator: Abu Hurairah.

Note: “Q” is short for Qur’an. The first number after the “Q” represents the number of the chapter (surah), the second stands for its verse. The translations and commentary are based on Muhammad Asad The Message of The Qur’an (Gibraltar: Dar Al-Andalus 1980). My own words occur in green like these notes.

Reminder:. Please use honorifics. After the name or the title of the Prophet say “Sual-lal lahu ‘Alaihi wa Sal-lam”; (peace and blessings upon him); after the name or the title of every prophet (nabi) and apostle (rasul) say “ ‘Alai his salaam” (peace be upon him/ them); and after the name of their family member, as well as, companion, say “Radi Allahu ‘Anhu” (may God be pleased with him / her).