The issue of evolution, in other words, to progress rank by rank, is a commonly accepted issue. Although the countenance given to it by the West is not correct, as far as principle is concerned, there is no doubt that more light is being shed upon its actuality day by day. In actuality, Allāh the Exalted himself has alluded to this issue at numerous instances in the Holy Qur’ān, and has drawn attention towards it. Furthermore, in the mention of human birth, the evolutionary stages of mankind have been expounded in great detail.1 In actuality, the principle of evolutionary progress can be prominently seen in all the works of Allāh the Exalted. If one contemplates, this very principle can be seen in the lives of the prophets (peace be upon them). An individual who entertains the notion that the nature of prophets is owed to an instant revolution has misunderstood completely and has not reflected upon the reality of prophethood. The reason being that on the face of this universe, just as everything is produced in stages, similarly, prophets also receive development in their prophethood and are not at all the outcome of a sudden transformation. Quite the contrary, after gradually passing through many intermediate states, they acquire that final status upon which the stages of their journey come to an end. All the prophets went through different stages of physical development, after which they were born, spent the days of their childhood, became adolescents, and then reached their maturity. In the same manner, spiritually speaking, first they are born, and then step by step they gradually reach their maturity. Furthermore, they do not remain idle in their prophetic status, rather, they step forward day by day on a pathway of progress. This evolutionary development is exactly in accordance with nature, and serves as protection from the negative outcomes of a sudden transformation. Moreover, it is beneficial in many other ways, rather, is necessary, but at this place there is no room for further details. At this point, our purpose is merely to describe in brief how this evolutionary development can be seen at work in the life of the Holy Prophetsa. As such, for the purpose of brevity, leaving out the initial stages of his life, we shall only take up a study of the life of the Holy Prophetsa after his claim to prophethood and its respective preliminaries.
First and foremost, we see that the Holy Prophetsa took up a life of reclusion in search of the truth, and began to remain in seclusion. After some time, the door of true dreams was opened to the Holy Prophetsa and he began to see true dreams, the constant fulfillment of which served as a means of maturity for him. This series of events continued for many months. When the Holy Prophetsa became familiar with this to an extent, and his disposition had matured in accordance to prophethood, an angel came to him in the Cave of Ḥirā and spoke to him from Allāh the Exalted. Thus, a higher status than that of true dreams was opened to the Holy Prophetsa. However, although the disposition of the Holy Prophetsa was experienced, he was not able to fully bear this change at first, and he became very afraid. Furthermore, this fear and anxiety troubled the Holy Prophetsa for some time. It was only after this divine messenger came to him again and again and comforted him, that he completely attained tranquility.
After this satisfaction, the Holy Prophetsa began his work, but a perspective of evolutionary progress exists here as well. In the beginning, the Holy Prophetsa did not begin open preaching; rather, he limited his endeavors to friends and dear ones. For two and a half to three years, he performed his preaching obligations in secret. Following this, under divine command, the Holy Prophetsa began to preach openly, but even in this era, for the most part, the sphere of his work was limited to the people of Makkah. No doubt, the door of the message of truth was open for those who came from abroad, and unlike Jesus Christas, they were not told that “I shall not throw the children’s bread before dogs”, but in the beginning, the Holy Prophet’ssa actual direction of address was to the Quraish of Makkah, and in actuality, it was they that were being preached to. This state of affairs continued for many years. However, when the people of Makkah not only insisted upon refusal and made the followers of the Holy Prophetsa victim to the most inhumane atrocities, but also vowed to sever all relations with the Muslims, thus practically shutting the door of the message of Islām upon themselves, then, the Holy Prophetsa also turned his direction to other tribes of Arabia, and away from the people of Makkah. The journey to Ṭā’if was also a result of this very change. It is for this reason that during this era, the number of converts from among the Quraish of Makkah is found to be minimal and in their place, the spread of Islām is more extensive throughout other tribes of Arabia. The Aus and Khazraj of Yathrib are a prominent example of this. After migration, interaction with the Jews and Christians took place, and the last step of this staircase of preaching was completed when the Holy Prophetsa sent letters of invitation to foreign rulers, and this message was spread to people of all races.
The status of the Holy Prophetsa was also revealed to him in stages. As such, in the beginning, in his revelation, the words ‘prophet’ or ‘messenger’ have not even been used to refer to the Holy Prophetsa and only a general instruction to preach the truth was made. Even after the status of his prophethood and apostleship was expressed, the Holy Prophetsa only considered himself one prophet after another, and nothing more. No claim whatsoever was made as to his superiority, or with regards to Khatm-e-Nubuwwat,2 rather, even after the migration, his state was such as when a companion, in the fervour of his devotion, declared the Holy Prophetsa superior to other prophets, the Holy Prophetsa sternly forbade him. As such, it is proven from authentic Aḥādīth that on one occasion in Madīnah, when a companion expressed the superiority of the Holy Prophetsa to Mosesas before a Jew, the Holy Prophetsa was greatly displeased at this companion, and alluding to a greatness of Mosesas, he consoled that Jew.3
But then a time came, when the Holy Prophetsa, himself said:
لَوْ كَانَ مُوْسٰی وَ عِیْسٰی حَیَّیْنِ لَمَا وَسِعَھُمَا اِلَّا اتِّبَاعِیْ
Meaning, “If Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) were alive at this time, they would have had no choice but to follow me.”4
Furthermore, in his early era, when a companion addressed him with the title, Khairul-Bariyyah, meaning, ‘The best of creation’, the Holy Prophetsa stopped him and said, ذَالِكَ اِبْرَاھِیْمُ, in other words, “The best of creation is Abraham.”5 Furthermore, he said, “Do not give me superiority over Jonah son of Matthew”,6 but then himself stated, اَنَا سَیِّدُ وُلْدِ اٰدَمَ وَ لَا فَخْرَ,7 meaning, “I am the chief of the children of Adam, but I do not feel arrogant on account of this.” This was as if an evolution of knowledge, for the Holy Prophetsa was the greatest of prophets and the chief of the children of Adam from the start, but this was disclosed to the Holy Prophetsa gradually. Moreover, it is also correct that the Holy Prophetsa progressed in his status gradually.
1 Al-Mu’minūn (23:13-15)
2 Seal of Prophethood (Publishers)
3 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Aḥādīthil-Anbiyā’i, Bābu Qaulillāhi Ta‘ālā “Wa Inna Yūnusa laminal-Mursalīn”, Ḥadīth No. 3414
4 Tafsīrul-Qur’ānil-‘Aẓīm, By Abul-Fidā’ ‘Imād-ud-Dīn ibni Kathīr, Volume 2, p. 59, Under the verse: “Wa Idhā Akhadhallāhu Mīthāqan Nabiyyīn”, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, First Edition (1998)
5 Musnad Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal, Volume 4, Musnad Anas bin Mālikra, Ḥadīth No. 12857, Beirut (1998)
6 Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Aḥādīthil-Anbiyā’i, Bābu Qaulillāhi Ta‘ālā “Wa Inna Yūnusa Laminal-Mursalīn”, Ḥadīth No. 3414
7 * Sunan At-Tirmidhī, Kitābul-Manāqibi ‘an Rasūlillāhisa, Bābu Mā Jā’a fī Faḍlin-Nabīsa, Ḥadīth No. 3615
* Sunan Ibni Mājah, Kitābuz-Zuhd, Bābu Dhikrish-Shafā‘ati, Ḥadīth No. 4308