The Greatness of The Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace)
Question: Is it correct aqidah to say that Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is the greatest and the most superior of all creation including the angels and that no creation in the universe can ever supersede him in rank and status? Kindly answer this in the light of the difference in opinion that exists amongst the scholars as to who has superiority over the other, Prophets or Angels. From what I understand, no definitive position can be taken on this matter.But when it comes to the personality of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), can it be definitively and authoritatively said that he is the best and the greatest of all creation?
Wa alaykum as-Salam,
There is a consensus among the scholars that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) is the greatest of all Allah’s creation, even greater than the throne of Allah Most High. Scholars that quoted a consensus on this include:1. Fakhr al-Din al-Razi
2. Qadi Iyad
3. Imam Nawawi
4. Shams al-Ramli
5. Ibn Hajar al-HaytamiAccordingly, absolutely no creation can compare to the rank that Allah afforded His Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace).Textual support
Below are some of the textual evidence upon where the scholarly consensus is found. Please note that this a non-exhaustive list, as the multiple narrations that establish his (Allah bless him and give him peace) merit and rank have filled the pages of many amazing works. One such book that we strongly encourage you to study is “Our Master Muhammad” by Shaykh Abdullah Siraj al-Din.
“Allah sent down the Book and Wisdom to you and taught you what you did not previously know. Allah’s favor to you was immense” [Quran, 4:113].
“By your life! They were wondering blindly in their drunkenness!” [Quran, 15:72].
He (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “I am the master of the children of Adam without boasting, the first one for whom the earth will open up (resurrection), the first intercessor and in my hands will be the Banner of Praise under which will stand Adam and all those who came after him” [Ibn Hibban].
He (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Adam and all (Prophets) who came after him will be under my banner on the day of Judgement [Musnad Ahmad].
And Allah knows best.
Abdurragmaan Khan
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Abdurragmaan received ijazah ’ammah from various luminaries, including but not restricted to: Habib Umar ibn Hafiz—a personality who affected him greatly and who has changed his relationship with Allah, Maulana Yusuf Karaan—the former Mufti of Cape Town; Habib ‘Ali al-Mashhur—the current Mufti of Tarim; Habib ‘Umar al-Jaylani—the Shafi‘i Mufti of Makkah; Sayyid Ahmad bin Abi Bakr al-Hibshi; Habib Kadhim as-Saqqaf; Shaykh Mahmud Sa’id Mamduh; Maulana Abdul Hafiz al-Makki; Shaykh Ala ad-Din al-Afghani; Maulana Fazlur Rahman al-Azami and Shaykh Yahya al-Gawthani amongst others.
