Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem
One of the requirements for the exam for the last AlMaghrib Institute seminar, Rays of Faith, held here in Columbus, was to write a one-page essay on the topic, “Write one page about the benefits and lessons that we learn from the lives of the Prophets OR chose one Messenger and write about the benefits and lessons we learn from his life“. I wanted to share what I had written here once the exam was over. It is posted inline in this article. The essay can be downloaded as a PDF file, as well.
Benefits & Lessons We Learn from the Lives of the Prophets
Basil Mohamed Gohar (Abū Hurayrah)
Since the time of Ādam, Allāh has sent to His Creation Prophets (ambiyā’) as Mercies, Blessings, and Guides. Allāh has not, however, sent these ambiyā’ for no purpose. Rather, each nabī has been sent for a specific purpose – namely, to be an example for their people in their duties towards Allāh. It is, therefore, essential for His slaves to know about them so that they may benefit from them. Among these benefits includes learning our dīn from them so that we may worship Allāh correctly, knowing their examples, so that we may emulate them, and seeing how they dealt with their people, so that we, too, can deal with our own people in the best of manners.
No nabī was sent by Allāh except that he would call his people to worship Allāh alone. This concept, tawḥīd, is the single most important aspect in the dīn, and separates Islām from all other religions and ways of life, including those in the past, present, and the future. By calling his people to tawḥīd, each nabī was protecting his people from misguidance, and thus, the Hellfire. Knowing the message of each nabī, and especially of the last & final messenger, Muḥammad, salallāhu `alayhi wa sallam, will likewise save those that heed their warnings from a certainly dreadful fate.
Along with the call to tawḥīd, every nabī also called his people to follow his example. Every nabī said to his people, “Worship Allāh and follow me”. The most important examples the ambiyā’ provided were in the actual acts of worship. Aside from worship, though, all of the ambiyā’ were also excellent examples of character & manners. Knowing the character & manners of each nabī will give the ones that wish to emulate them in these attributes the best behaviors and will lead to a very peaceful life both in the dunyah and in the ākhirah.
Every nabī was sent to his own nation, and every nation has a great diversity amongst its people. It can be expected that most, if not all nations, consist of people that are believers and disbelievers. Likewise, nations can also consist of people with good and bad manners. In fact, there exist a great number of characteristics that can be used to describe any nation, and a nabī must be equipped to deal with all of them. Every nabī was required to deliver the same message to his people, despite their rejection of it or their treatment of him. Therefore, knowing how each nabī dealt with his people will help us in the areas of da`wah, community, and leadership so that we can, likewise, deal with people in the best way for the benefit of our own nation.
The benefits and lessons we can get from the lives of the ambiyā’ are without limit, as the entirety of their lives were examples worthy of following. If we know this, and we follow their examples in their worship, their character, and their dealings with their people, then we will be guided, in shā’ Allāh, and Allāh will spare us from a certain torment.