Balance; Messengers and Messages

When his people disobeyed him and turned a deaf ear to his teachings and to Allaah's orders, Moses (Peace be upon him) appealed to his Lord saying, "Lord! Surely I possess (no authority) on anyone except myself and my brother. So distinguish between us (Literally: part between us and "between") and the immoral people. Said He, "Then surely it will be prohibited for them for forty years (while) they go astray in the earth. So do not feel sad about the immoral people." [1]


In a similar occasion, Jesus (Peace be upon him) said, addressing Allaah, "In case You torment them, then surely they are Your bondmen; and in case You forgive them, then surely You, Ever You, are The Ever-Mighty, The Ever-Wise ." [2]

Contrastively, when Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) was stoned by his people and injured in his face and feet, he prayed to Allaah to forgive them, saying, " O Allaah, forgive my people, for they do not know". [3]

Looking at these three attitudes tells us a lot about the personality of each of the noble Prophets, and consequently the nature of their call. According to the Qur'aan, Prophet Moses was a strong well-built man, whose miracles were of a compelling kind that would appeal to the temperament of his people and to the culture of the era.

Prophet Jesus was a kind-hearted man known for his mercy and gentle soul. His miracles, though different from Moses's magical marvels, matched the humanitarian nature of his call, yet they still surpassed the boundaries of the human mind.

Prophet Muhammad is a model of moderation; despite him being a man who depends on logic and wise judgment, he was very affectionate towards his people, his companions, followers of his message, and even the believers of other religions. His strength lies in his ability to balance between having a kind heart, and a compelling reason and force. In contrast to those of his predecessors, Prophet Muhammad's grand miracle, the Qur'aan, addresses the mind of his interlocutors as well as their hearts. He was not provided with enchanted wonders or breathtaking supernatural phenomena. However, his miracle is the only everlasting one of all.

While Moses supplicated against his people, and Jesus left it for Allaah to decide whether to treat them with mercy or with anger, it is Prophet Muhammad who supplicated for his people, asking Allaah to forgive them. Far from the extreme of asking for punishment, or leaving the whole issue altogether, Prophet Muhammad was rather more proactive than Jesus, and more compassionate than Moses.

The nature of these noble Prophets goes in parallel with the colour of their call. Therefore, as we can see Moses' complex history with his people moving from one extreme to another: from total submission and belief to total disbelief and mistrust. A nation of this kind needed a strong man to lead them and to correct their path. As Jesus became a symbol of forgiveness due to his sympathetic nature; an era of such a dark history of hatred and injustice needed a man who is different from Moses who can teach them how to be humans again. Whereas Muhammad, the compassionate yet steadfast, came to tie both threads together in a unique balance, offering a blend of guidance and mercy to all.

Being the last Prophet to be sent to the world, Prophet Muhammad's message is dedicated to all mankind, with no astounding miracles that lasts in memories for a few decades only, but rather with a true convention of all time. His moderation even in his personal traits is an unmistaken sign of Allaah's humbling wisdom in choosing him to be the last Prophet and to be sent not to a particular tribe or nation, but to all human beings : "And in no way have We sent you except as a mercy to the worlds ." [4]

------------------------------------------------------
[1] Qur'aan 5 : 25, 26.
[2] Qur'aan 5 :115.
[3] Authentic hadeeth reported by al-Bukhariyy in al-Jaami` as-Saheeh (3477), and narrated by Abdullaah ibn-Mas`ood (RA).
[4] Qur'aan 21: 107