The Words of the Prophet

The Words of the Prophet

1991 8 August 5 The Words of the Prophet (360) A wise man has said that having a collection of Hadiths in the house enables one to ‘listen’ to the very words of the Prophet as he uttered them. This apparently simple statement is indeed very profound.

At the present time, besides the collections of the sayings of the Prophet of Islam, we also have those of other Prophets, such as are recorded in the Bible and the Torah. Yet there is a difference, for it cannot be said that having the Bible or the Torah in the house enables one to ‘listen’ to the words of their prophets, which is literally true in the case of the Prophet of Islam.

The difference arises mainly from the fact that the sayings of the Prophets of the other faiths are no longer considered authentic beyond any shadow of a doubt. Many changes have occurred in them due to alterations, distortions and erroneous, reproductions. If we were to take these books at their face value, then it could certainly be claimed that they contained the actual sayings of their Prophets, but, the truth is that, because they are no longer in their original form, they cannot have the fullest measure of our trust.

The case of the Prophet of Islam is very different. Great care and tireless effort have gone into the collection and preservation of the sayings of the Prophet. Every possible precaution has been ‘taken in the recording of the Hadith not to adulterate its purity. It can be said, therefore, with certainty, that these indeed are the sayings of the Prophet. And it is through these sayings that the Prophet lives amongst us, giving us his message and his guidance, and bearing the torch to light our path.

But if one is to receive the Prophet’s message, one has to have the ear for it. Otherwise, one can never hear his words. One will remain as ignorant as those who never paid heed to the teachings of the Prophet even during his lifetime. No one could be more unfortunate than a man who possesses the collection of the Hadith, yet is unable to benefit from it, because he has no ear for the words of the Prophet.