By G .M. Shakir (Advocate)
The Prophet (SAW) is benefactor of humanity in general. There is no distinction of anything so far as his benevolence is concerned. So we have been taught to do good to each and every person. The Prophet (SAW) has said "No one of you can be a (complete) believer unless, for the people what he loves for himself, till he loves other only for the sake of Allah " .Accordingly, a Muslim has to be very sympathiser for the humanity and can no not do anything which may be harmful to others The least a person can do for the benefit of others is not to cause any annoyance for them. Iqbal has said "To bring on the lips (expressing) an improper/ malicious word is a guilt as the believers and non believers all are the creation of Allah. Humanity is to respect humanity, beware of the dignity of humanity". Accordingly, Muslim must not cause any kind of annoyance to any person, be he a Muslim or a non Muslim. What behaviour we have to adopt in the life is at least saving ourselves from causing any annoyance to any other Muslim. The Quran has directed us "And those who annoy believing men and believing women, for no fault of theirs, shall bear the guilt of slander and an evident sin.33-58. This verse makes it imperative that our behavior must be very nice towards other believers and any act causing an annoyance to believing men and women is a sin.
What behaviour one must have for the benefactor of humanity as leader of the believers (Prophet(SAW),and Messanger as well). Keeping in the view the above lines we have to give a highest respect, love and honor to him and at the same time we cannot think of any annoyance to him. This is the reason that whenever any of the persons like Rushdie made any statement causing annoyance and disrespect to the Prophet(SAW), whole of the Muslim community, not only protested for it but even laid down their lives on the altar.
Allah has never tolerated any kind of annoyance towards the Prophet(SAW). There are many directions in this respect. A general direction is in chapter 33 of the Quran which reads "Surely those who annoy Allah and His Rasool, are cursed by Allah in this world and in the hereafter. He has prepared for them a humiliating Punishment".33-57. This direction is general in nature and curses those persons who in any way cause any kind of annoyance, disrespect to the Prophet(SAW) and Allah. This has particular reference to the marriage of the Prophet(SAW) with Zainab (RA). As many slandering remarks had been made by the hypocrites against the Prophet (SAW) and this was treated as a slandering statement against the almighty also. The reason being that whatever was done by the Prophet (SAW) had sanction from the almighty and this definitely meant slandering and causing annoyance to Almighty. Accordingly the Muslim jurists are of the opinion that a Muslim cannot think of causing annoyance, disrespect and criticism of the Prophet(SAW).
There are other directions in this respect also. Certain acts of Muslims and the hypocrites have been condemned. One of such directions is found in chapter 49, which reads "O ye who believe! raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet nor speak aloud to him in talk as ye may speak aloud to one another lest your deeds become vain and ye perceive not". Thus talking louder than Prophet (SAW) has been held disrespect and in turn sufficient for making all the good deeds useless.
When the Prophet (SAW) migrated to Madina, the Jews always tried to cause loss to this movement and to its leader. They left no stone unturned for causing the disrespect to the leader of this movement. They also used the words which had more than one meaning. Certain words were used to cause disrespect but in a manner that if it is detected they will take the shelter in the other meaning of the word. Chapter two makes a mention of it in the following words "O Believers, do not expressing to our Rasool: "Ra'ina" (an ambiguous word for: "Listen, may you become deaf" or"Our shepherd" or in Judeo-Arabic language conveys the sense, "our evil one.") But expressing "Unzurna" ("look upon" us "or pay attention" to us) and listen to him carefully; and remember that there is a painful punishment for the unbelievers.2-104
The Quran has some times taken note of certain actions of the believers which were very ordinary. Since these acts were concerned with respect to an extra ordinary person so these acts were also held an annoyance and condemned by the Almighty. On the eve of the marriage of Prophet (SAW) certain people remained in the house of Prophet (SAW) till late. This action was held against the respect of the Prophet (SAW). The Quran says "O ye who believe! Enter not the dwellings of the Prophet for a meal without waiting for the proper time, unless permission be granted you. But if ye are invited, enter, and, when your meal is ended, then disperse. Linger not for conversation. Lo! that would cause annoyance to the Prophet, and he would be shy of (asking) you (to go); but Allah is not shy of in the truth.". The Quran has also directed the believers not to be like the people who followed Moses (AS) and caused disrespect and annoyance to him "O ye who believe! be ye not like those who vexed and insulted Moses (AS) but Allah cleared him of the (calumnies) they had uttered: and he was honorable in Allah's sight.33-69" This verse never means that you should not cause annoyance/disrespect to the Prophet (SAW) as did the people of Moses (AS) but it means that all annoyance and disrespect to the Prophet (SAW) is forbidden as the Quran is to be read as a whole. What disrespect was caused to Moses (AS) is clear from the old Testament as well as from the Quran. The Quran narrates certain blasphemous remarks and words of the Bani Israel .for instance when they were directed for fighting they told Moses (AS) that he and his God must go for war and they were waiting for them .Similarly, when Man-u- Salwa was provided to them as diet they clamoured for vegetables and pulses .When directed to slaughter the cow they ,instead ,of following the direction replied "Are you joking with us." When he went to mountain for receiving the Torah they made a calf for worship though Aaron (AS) attempted to restrain them from doing so. They asked Moses (AS) "we will not believe unless will see Allah ).The aim of the Quran seems that no blasphemous demands should be made nor to make a fun of the holy books. They also attributed some bodily defects. Since Bani Israel bathed naked in presence of other and Moses (AS)did not do so, they attributed a disease to him .Sahih Bukhari "The Prophet said, 'The (people of) Bani Israel used to take bath naked (all together) looking at each other. The Prophet Moses(AS)used to take a bath alone. They said, 'By Allah! Nothing prevents Moses(AS)from taking a bath with us except that he has a scrotal hernia.' So once Moses(AS)went out to take a bath and put his clothes over a stone and then that stone ran away with his clothes. Moses (AS)followed that stone expressing, "My clothes, O stone! My clothes, O stone! Till the people of Bani Israel saw him and said, 'By Allah, Moses (AS)has got no defect in his body. Moses (AS) took his clothes and began to beat the stone." Abu Huraira added, "By Allah! There are still six or seven marks present on the stone from that excessive beating." Moulana Yousuf Ali writes, in the note on verse 69,That Moses's sister and Aaron(AS) spoke against Moses(AS)as Moses(AS)had married an Ethiopian woman. The holy prophet was also attacked due to his marriage with Zainab (RA).Similarly, when certain persons took the undue advantage of the politeness and generosity of the Prophet (SAW) and took him away to a side to show their importance to others. The Quran directed in case of separate consultation with the Prophet people must spend something as Sadqa.
There are so many instances which show that slightest annoyance was disliked by Allah, if made to Prophet (SAW) .The reason being that once Rasool is disrespected it is annoyance to Allah, because, what he said or did had approval of Almighty. Once more instance is the twisting of the tongue by the Jews with intention to disrespect and cause annoyance to Prophet (SAW). " Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places and say: "We hear and we disobey"; and "Hear what is not heard": and "Ra`ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to faith. If only they had said: "We hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us": it would have been better for them and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their unbelief; and but few of them will believe 4-46"
