Zikr Allah-SWT
Everything contained in heavens and the earth remembers Allah-SWT and each particle is a manifestation of His-SWT perfection. He-SWT is Absolute Ruler. He-SWT is Predominant, Prudent and Flawless. He-SWT is the Supreme Being Who appointed an unlettered Prophet-SW among the generally unlettered Arabs.
A Miracle
The Arabs did not have the tradition of schooling and very few could read or write. The Holy Prophet-SW himself never received any formal education. Such ignorant nations are hard to reform, as it is difficult to make them understand anything. The fact that the Holy Prophet-SW transformed them into fountainheads of knowledge and wisdom for the world is evident as daylight. They became the keepers, the dominators, the beautifiers of the world. While the unlettered Prophet-SW blessed mankind with a Code of Life that spells out human rights and duties perfectly and explicitly. This Code was practically enforced in the world by the same unlettered nation.
Responsibilities of the Holy Prophet-SW
The Holy Prophet-SW recites Allaah-SWT ’s Ayat unto them, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and Wisdom by explaining the Quran and by self-example. His-SW four responsibilities have been described here. First, he-SW invites people to believe in Allaah-SWT as dictated by the Quranic Ayat. Then he-SW purifies the hearts of those who embrace Islam.
Tasawwuf
The outward purification involves education on cleaning the body and the raiments, earning lawful and clean food while the spiritual purification extends to ethics and morality and character building. The latter was instantly affected when a person physically presented himself before the Holy Prophet-SW after taking Shahadah. A solitary glance of his-SW purifying sight lifted him to the status of a Companion-RAU, and his soul stood consecrated. In Quran's language: Each and every cell of his body, right from his skin to the core of his heart, became engaged in Zikr Allaah-SWT (39:23). This very state was termed Tazkiyah by the Quran and was translated to Tasawwuf in the first foreign language into which Quran was translated. Those believers associated with the Companions-RAU became Tab'ain, who, in turn, produced Tab'a Tab'ain.
As time progressed, the intensity of this phenomenon of purification depleted. In more recent times, people used to remain engaged in Zikr-e-Qalbi. They spent years in the company of those whose hearts radiated with the light that emanated from the Holy Prophet-SW .As a result, their morals were reformed, their conduct dignified and the flame to act on Shari'ah kindled in their bosoms. Then came a time when incompetent people took over as spiritual mentors through hereditary succession. The prestige of Tasawwuf was tarnished by these incapable frauds who made it an assortment of absurd rituals. Such mimicry, however, does not reduce the effectiveness of the actual marvel called Tasawwuf.
Interpreting Quran is also the Holy Prophet-SW's Duty
After bodily and spiritual purification, the Holy Prophet-SW enlightened his Companions-RAU with the knowledge and wisdom of the Quran. It implies that to explain the meaning and context of Quranic Ayat, that is, its interpretation is among his-SW responsibilities; every plebeian is not authorized to interpret Quran in any way he chooses. The Arabs were a people who were disgusted with their own condition and knew that they were not on the right path but were ignorant of the Truth.
The Honour for Succeeding Generations
The believers, who follow the Companion-RAU’s in time till the Day of Judgement, and who follow them in belief and practise would also be similarly blessed with the Barakah of the Holy Prophet-SW . It is a matter of great honour for the succeeding generations that they followed the footsteps of such illustrious souls as the Companions-RAU. It also signifies the greatness of the Companions-RAU. Allah-SWT is Predominant and Prudent. Benevolence and Generosity are His-SWT Attributes and He blesses anyone He-SWT chooses. The Companions-RAU were blessed because they obeyed the Holy Prophet-SW and whosoever obeys the Companions-RAU would be blessed likewise. Allaah-SWT is really Kind and Rewarding. He rewarded the illiterate and made them the most fortunate people. On the other hand, the Jew scholars who were famous for their knowledge, and considered themselves to be extremely wise, could not live upto the expectations of their own Book, the Torah.
A Hallmark of Knowledge
A hallmark of knowledge is that human conduct is enlightened by it. If knowledge does not influence action, it would not be called knowledge but information. The Jew scholars, despite having read thick volumes, are similar to donkeys loaded with tomes. They could not benefit from the wisdom of Torah and repudiated Quran despite knowing it to be true from their own Book. They did not believe in the Holy Prophet-SW and thus committed the gravest of sins. Of course, Allah-SWT, could not care less, and has no need to guide such flagrant sinners.
Even Jews did not Doubt the Holy Prophet-SW
's Veracity
These unfortunate people claim to be the friends of Allah-SWT and a cut above the rest. Allaah-SWT asks the Holy Prophet-SW to tell them to wish for death if they are so sure of their righteousness, in certification of their confident claims. But they understand that they would surely die if they make such a wish on his asking. They also recognize the profanity of their conduct. Therefore, they would never ever wish for death. They are terrified of the Akhirah and Allaah-SWT surely knows such wicked people.
Infidels and Evildoers are Terrified of Death
Another point that comes to light here is that the infidels and the evildoers as a rule, are terrified of dying. It is a common observation in our immediate surroundings, particularly in the West where this dread has made the lives of the non believers miserable. Everyone in those infidel societies is frightened with it knowing the reason for it. They helplessly call it "Fear of the Unknown”. The Quran clearly warns such people that death they try to escape, is bound to catch up with them at the destined moment. They would then be produced before Allah-SWT, Knower of all things hidden and manifest, and their deeds would be unveiled in His-SWT Court.
