The fundamental reason for the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and its
beneficial impact on humanity have been explicitly set forth in the Book of God.
"Thus we have sent forth to you a messenger from amongst you, who recites to
you Our revelations and purifies you and teaches you the Book and wisdom, and
teaches you what you were not wont to know." (2: 151)
And again:
"Truly God was gracious to the believers when He raised up among them a
Messenger from themselves, to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach
them the Book and the wisdom, though before they were in manifest error." (3:164)
At another place the Quran says:
"He it is who has raised up among the unlettered ones a messenger of their own,
to recite unto them His revelations and to purify them, and to teach them the Scripture
and wisdom. Though they have hitherto been in groos error." (62:2)
The mission of the Prophet assigns an important place to the cultivation of the moral
virtues and self-purification. It is a familiar theme running through the whole of Quran
which makes it abundantly clear that wisdom stands for exalted morality. In the Surah
Isra the Quran expounds the bases of morality and civilized behaviour and goes on to
call them as wisdom.
That is of the wisdom thy Lord has revealed to thee.” (17:39)
Again, before descending to the particular of Prophet Lugman’s moral teaching the
Quran alludes to them as wisdom vouchsafed to him.
"Indeed, We gave Luqman wisdom: Give thanks unto Allah. Whosoever giveth thanks,
he giveth thanks only for his own soul's good, and whosoever is ungrateful Surely Allah
is Absolute, Owner of Praise." (31: 12)
The Prophet was a perfect model of good morals. The Quran expresses this fact thus:
"Surely thou art upon a mighty morality." (68:2)
Once, when Ayesha was asked about the morals of the prophet, she replied: "If you
want to know of his morals, see the Quran."
The wisdom of perfection of morals and purification of the self attained by the earlier
Muslims was the result of training and guidance and personal example set by the
Prophet before his companions. A whole generation was raised, in the company of the
Prophet, which was most virtuous, possessed of the best morality, abhorred to avoid
self-delusion and wiles of the Devil. The Quran bears witness to the perseverance,
reformative zeal and moral strength of these men when it says:
"And know that the Messenger of God is among you. If he obeyed you in much of
the affairs, you would suffer; but God has endeared to you belief, decking if fair in your
heart, and He has made detestable to you unbelief and ungodliness and disobedience.
Those they are the right - minded, by God's favour and blessing: God is All knowing, All-
wise." (49 :7-8)
The Prophet also confirmed it when he said:
The changing political, social and economic conditions became an impediment in correct
application of the educative norms and values of the ahadith. "The best of men are my
contemporaries."
An eminent companion of the Prophet has described the distinguishing features
of his comrades in a pithy sentence:
'Truehearted, profound in knowledge and absolutely unassuming."
Those were the men produced by Islam through prophetic care and guidance; it
was a miracle that could have been worked only by Prophet.
A Perennial Workshop of Humanity
The personal guidance provided by the holy Prophet came to an end with his
departure from this fleeting world, but the Quran, ahadith and the glowing examples of
the Prophet's life continued to show the right path. Way to purification of the self
contained in the wisdom of prophetic teachings was a sure cure to all the ailments of the
heart, self-conciet and the ruses -of satan.
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