The Nine Universal Proofs of the Truthfulness of the Prophet Muḥammad

وَلِلإِجَابَاتِ الرَّحْمَانِيَّةِ لِدَعَوَاتِ مَخْلوُقَاتِهِ، وَلِلإِمْدَادَاتِ الرَّبَّانِيَّةِ

لِاسْتِغَاثَاتِ عِبَادِهِ، وَلِلْإِحْسَاسَاتِ السُّبْحَانِيَّةِ لِوُجُودِهِ لِمَصْنُوعَاتِهِ

There is no god but Allāh, the Necessary Being. The consensus

of all of the true revelations, that contain the Divine ontological

descendings, and the glorifying Speech, and the Divine Self-revelation,

and the Merciful responses to the supplications of His servants,

and the Eternal notification of His existence to His creatures,

demonstrates the necessity of His unitive existence, as too does the

concordance of the true inspirations that contain the Divine Courtship,

and the Divine response to the Prayers of His creatures, and the

Divine help after the cries for help of His servants, and the glorifying

intimations to His creatures of His existence.

That traveller of this world then addressed his intellect:

‘In so far as I am seeking my Owner and Creator through the beings existing in this universe, there is no doubt that it is incumbent upon us, before all else, to journey together to the Age of Happiness (‘Aṣru’s-Sa‘ādah), and visit Muḥammad the Arabian (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), the very most celebrated of these existing beings, and the most perfected, even by the assent of his enemies. He is the greatest commander, and the most renowned ruler, in speech the most sublime, his intellect the most luminous. He it is who illuminated fourteen centuries with his moral excellence and his Qur’ān. We must visit him in order to ask him about that which we seek.’

With his intellect then, he entered that age. He saw that the age had, through this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) truly become an age of the happiness of humanity. For, with the light with which he came,

he transformed in a short period of time the very most extreme of peoples with respect to illiteracy and bedouinism, into teachers and rulers of the entire world. He now began the inquiry, saying to his intellect ‘Before anything else, we must know the station and stature of this exceptional Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), extraordinary and incomparable as he is, and something of the soundness of his sayings and the truthfulness of his reports - and then we shall ask him of our Creator’.

[The Nine Universal Proofs of the Truthfulness

of the Prophet Muḥammad (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām)]

We will now briefly indicate just ‘Nine Universal Proofs’ of the limitless conclusive proofs that he found.

The first of the nine universal proofs is the existence in this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), even by the assent of his enemies, of every beautiful characteristic and praiseworthy quality. It is the appearance of hundreds of miracles at his hands, that have been related in conclusive fashion - and a portion of them by unanimous testimony. An example of the latter is the splitting of the moon that took place by means of his indicating with his finger. This is explicitly stated in the Qur’ānic verse وَانْشَقَّ القَمَرُ . (a)

The flight of an army of his enemies, after a small handful of earth that he had thrown entered the eyes of each one of them constitutes another example, one explicitly state in the verse وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللهَ رَمَى . (b) Yet another is his watering his entire thirsty army with the water that flowed like the fountain of Kawthar from between his five fingers, until their thirst was quenched.

_____

a 'And the moon has split' (Qur’ān, al-Qamar, 54:1)

b 'And you did not throw when you threw, but it was Allāh Who threw'. (Qur’ān, alAnfal, 8:17) 

I have explained more than three-hundred of these miracles alongside their conclusive proofs in the extraordinary, wonder-bearing ‘Epistle of the Miracles of Aḥmad’ (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) - that is, ‘The Nineteenth Letter’. For that reason, the traveller entrusted them to that epistle, and said:

‘This Individual (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) must definitely possess the most truthful speech, who has so many astonishing miracles, and such beautiful character and spiritual perfections. Such a Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) is definitely far above stooping to deception, lying and fallacy - for indeed these are the characteristics only of those of corrupted character.’

The second of the nine universal proofs is his carrying the decree of the Owner of this universe in his hands, accepted and given credence to in every age by more than three-hundred million human beings. For indeed that decree is the Sublimely Glorious Qur’ān (Al-Qur’ānu’l-‘Aẓīmu’sh-Sha'n), which is a miracle from seven viewpoints. They have been explained in detail in ‘The Qur’ānic Miracles Epistle’, that is, ‘The Twenty-fifth Word’, a renowned epistle, and one of the suns of The Book of Light. Within it, the miraculousness of the Qur’ān is demonstrated, from forty perspectives, along with its being the Speech of the Creator of the Universe. Thus, the traveller entrusted them to that epistle, saying ‘there is no way that this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) could engage in lying, for he is the interpreter and messenger of this decree which is the truth itself, and the reality itself. For this would mean transgressing against the decree, and betraying its Author.’

The third of the nine universal proofs is that that Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) appeared with [nonpareil] law and Islām, 

and [unparalleled] servanthood and prayer, [prominent] mission and faith. It is not even in principle possible for there to be an equal to what he came with - better than it there has never been, and never will there be.

For that law, which appeared through that Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) who was illiterate, administered fourteen centuries and a fifth of humanity with justice and truth, with its limitless precise laws. It can never be equalled.

Islām, which became manifest through the actions, sayings, and states of that illiterate Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), has never been equalled and never will be, this in so far as it is a guide and an authority for three-hundred million people in every age, a mentor and teacher for their intellects, an enlightener and purifier of their hearts, a spiritual guide and cleanser of their lower-selves, the pivot of the mystical unveilings (kashf) of their spirits, and the treasure-trove of their spiritual ascensions.

Another dimension in which he has never been equalled, and never will be, is his ascendancy over all and outstripping of all, in all types of the worship in his religion. He was in taqwā more than anyone else and was the most god-fearing of all. He was fully observing even to the most subtle secrets of servanthood in the midst of his unbroken extraordinary spiritual exercises and in the harshest and most turbulent of circumstances. He pioneered the worship in the most perfect fashion without imitating a single soul yet in the best possible way, uniting the beginning and end. None of this has ever been matched, and it never will be.

Then, one has the way in which he describes his Lord in al-Jawshanu’l-Kabīr, which is just one of the many thousands 

of his prayers and supplications - for it is one of the proofs that his mode of prayer is unparalleled. Neither the people of gnosis (ma‘rifah) nor the saints that have come and gone since that time have been able, with all of their meditations combined, to attain to such a level of gnosis, nor to such a loftiness of description. Whomsoever looks, withal, to the place at the beginning of The Epistle of Intimate Supplication (Al-Munājāt) in which a single line of the ninety-nine lines of al-Jawshanu’l-Kabīr is briefly explained, will find themselves saying ‘The Jawshan also has no parallel’.

He exhibited, in delivering the message and inviting people to the truth, a strength, steadfastness, and boldness, such that he manifested absolutely no hesitation, worry or cowardice. He challenged the entire world, and, in point of fact, could have faced it alone. He caused Islām to rule the world, despite the best efforts of his enemies, the great powers and religions, and indeed the severe hostility of his enemies from his own people, his clan, and even his own uncle. All of this surely establishes that he has never had any equal, in delivering a message nor in mission and there will be none like him.

He carried an extraordinary strength, magnificent certainty, miraculous unveiling and a supreme degree of conviction with his faith illuminating the world, so much so that, even though all ideas and beliefs, theories of philosophers, knowledge of spiritual leaders prevalent in that age were in the position of rivalry, opposition and denial against him, none [could] cause him to doubt, hesitate, cast weakness or have waswasa in his conviction, belief, reliance and assurance. Not a single idea, belief, or theory of the philosophers, nor any of the knowledge of the leading spiritual leaders of the time 

affected any doubt, nor any hesitation, weakness, nor any waswasa in his certainty nor in his belief, nor in his reliance, nor in his assurance. This despite their opposition and denial of that with which he came. All of the saints receive spiritual emanations from the station of his faith at all times, and most particularly the Companions, who ascended in spirituality and in the stations of faith, and are with him in the highest stations. All of this constitutes a self-evident proof that his faith is also nonpareil.

The traveller had now perceived that such a person could not possibly lie or deceive; with his incomparable law, peerless Islām, extraordinary servanthood, incomparable mode of prayer, universal mission that astonished the world, and miraculous level of faith. He perceived this, and his intellect, also, assented to it.

The fourth of the nine universal proofs

Just as the consensus of the prophets is a strong proof of the existence of Allāh and of His unity (subḥānahu wa ta‘ālā), so it is a deciding and established testimony to the truthfulness of this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) and his message.

It is historically verifiable that all of the sacred characteristics, miracles and missions that constitute the crucial factors in the demonstration of the truthfulness of a prophet are present in this Personage in the most perfect way (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām). In so far as those prophets gave people the good news of his coming with their words, and with their books - Torah and the Gospels, the Psalms, and the other scriptures - more than twenty and the clearest portions of the foretokens of his coming (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) present in the Sacred Books can be found in ‘The Nineteenth Letter’ 

and [the good news of his coming] has been established [in the same epistle].

They also give credence to that Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) through the languages of their states - that is, through their prophethood and miracles, and they support him who is more advanced than any of them, and the most perfect of them in their mission and their method. Just as they indicate Divine unity through the language of speech (lisānu’l-qāl) and by consensus, so too do they testify to this Personage’s (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) veracity through the language of their states (lisānu’l-ḥāl) and through their agreement; the traveller was able to perceive that.

The fifth of the nine universal proofs

Thousands of saints attained to the truth, the reality, perfections, wonder-working, mystical unveilings (kashf), and mystical witnessings by way of the principles laid down by this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) and through the spiritual upbringing and instruction given by him, and by obeying and following him. Thus, they indeed also testify, by consensus and agreement, to the Unity (waḥdāniyah) of Allāh and to the message of this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) their teacher and spiritual guide.

The traveller had seen that the saints’ witnessing, by the light of sainthood, some of the matters about which the Most Noble Messenger (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) had reported concerning the unseen world, and their giving credence to all of those reports by knowledge of certainty, the vision of certainty, or the truth of certainty, is a proof like the sun of the extent of the rightness and veracity of this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) who is indeed their teacher and spiritual guide. 

The sixth of the nine universal proofs

Millions of pure, exacting scholars, veracious verificationists, and genius, believing philosophers reached the very highest station of knowledge through study of the sacred realities that this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) came with. This along with the elevated sciences that originated with him, as well as the Divine gnosis that he uncovered despite his being illiterate. They demonstrate and confirm the Divine Unity, the foundation of the mission of that Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) with its powerful conclusive proofs, and all concord in believing in it.

In exactly the same way, their witnessing [and agreeing] about the legitimacy of this greatest of teachers and that his words are true is a conclusive proof as manifest as the day of his message and his veracity. For instance, The Book of Light, in its one-hundred parts, is one example of a conclusive proof of the truthfulness of this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām).

The seventh of the nine universal proofs

The traveller had perceived that the assent of the great community known as ‘the Family and the Companions’ - may Allāh be pleased with them - is a proof as strong as the day’s signification of the existence of the sun. For they are the most renowned of humanity after the prophets (‘alayhimussalām) for their intuitive knowledge and moral perfections. They are the most worthy of reverence, and their renown is the greatest. They are the most devoted to the religion, and the most farsighted. He perceived how very clear a proof was their unshakeable assent and faith by consensus and concordance that this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) is the most truthful person in this world, the most exalted, and had the most right to truth and reality. This was the conclusion of their inquiry, examining and exacting research 

The sixth of the nine universal proofs

Millions of pure, exacting scholars, veracious verificationists, and genius, believing philosophers reached the very highest station of knowledge through study of the sacred realities that this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) came with. This along with the elevated sciences that originated with him, as well as the Divine gnosis that he uncovered despite his being illiterate. They demonstrate and confirm the Divine Unity, the foundation of the mission of that Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) with its powerful conclusive proofs, and all concord in believing in it.

In exactly the same way, their witnessing [and agreeing] about the legitimacy of this greatest of teachers and that his words are true is a conclusive proof as manifest as the day of his message and his veracity. For instance, The Book of Light, in its one-hundred parts, is one example of a conclusive proof of the truthfulness of this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām).

The seventh of the nine universal proofs

The traveller had perceived that the assent of the great community known as ‘the Family and the Companions’ - may Allāh be pleased with them - is a proof as strong as the day’s signification of the existence of the sun. For they are the most renowned of humanity after the prophets (‘alayhimussalām) for their intuitive knowledge and moral perfections. They are the most worthy of reverence, and their renown is the greatest. They are the most devoted to the religion, and the most farsighted. He perceived how very clear a proof was their unshakeable assent and faith by consensus and concordance that this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) is the most truthful person in this world, the most exalted, and had the most right to truth and reality. This was the conclusion of their inquiry, examining and exacting research 

Through these limitless, enjoyable, precious blessings, He wishes that His servants thank and praise Him, and that they cause them to worship Him, in return for His Lordship (rubūbiyyah), in a way replete with grateful obligation, gratitude and utter adoration for the universal upbringing and sustenance that He has bestowed upon us, full of pity and protectorship. Indeed, even for the Divine banquets that are prepared such that they satiate and hearten those with the very finest of taste, and satisfy every type of craving. He wishes that these blessings cause them to believe, surrender, and be led by the Divinity (ulūhiyyah) that is manifesting His Divinity with measures and actions of great sublimity and awe and with astonishing, wise activity and creatorhood, like the changing of the seasons, and the rolling up of the night and the day as well as their alternation.

He wishes at every moment to manifest His justice and to verify the truth through His protection of goodness and the good doers. He wishes to manifest, at every moment, His effacement of evil and those who are evil, and His obliteration of those oppressors and liars through His heavenly blows.

There is no doubt, in any case, that the creation most beloved to He Who is hidden in the unseen would be this Noble Messenger, Muḥammad the Qurayshi (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām). He is His most sincere servant, who uncovers and solves the talisman of the creation of the world. He it is who continually strove to perfectly serve those ends. His movement has always been in the Name of the Creator (Al-Khāliq). He it is who sought success and assistance from Him, and indeed attained that help and success.

The traveller then addressed his intellect. Since these nine realities testify to the truthfulness of this Personage (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) there can be no doubt that he (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) is the pivot of the honour