The Divine Gift

The Divine Gift

1991 12 December 13 The Divine Gift (334) The Prophet was addressed thus in the Quran: “We have sent you to the people of the world only as a divine blessing.” When Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet had been asked to curse the polytheists, he said, “I have not been sent to curse. I have been sent as a blessing.”

There is a Hadith that the Messenger of God said, “I am God’s blessing sent as a gift to His servants.” According to another tradition, Abdullah Bin Umar reported that the Messenger of God said, “God has sent me as a blessing and a gift to the people with the rise of one community and the fall of another.” (i.e. one community of believers will rise, while another community of unbelievers will fall)

The Prophet is an ideal for his followers. After him; his followers are his representatives. Now his followers shall have to be to the world what the Prophet was to the people of his time. The Prophet was a divine blessing and a gift from God to his own and other communities. Now his followers shall have to become the blessing and gift in his place. Unless his followers discharge this responsibility they have no right to-call themselves his followers.

The followers of Muhammad, may peace be upon him, are there to give and not to demand from others. It is for others that the followers have to become a divine gift. Their lives should be rewarding for others and not a source of pain and misgivings.

For this purpose, the followers must have forbearance so that, inspite of being deprived, they still. remain the givers. Notwithstanding the excesses committed against them, the followers must remain the well-wishers of others so that they avoid nursing the spirit of revenge. Without forbearance and patience, the followers can never be a divine gift for others in this world of trial. And unless the followers’ become blessings for the others, the doors to divine favour will remain forever closed to them.