The Virtues of Muhammad's Nation
Allah said:
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ...
Thus We have made you (true Muslims), a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you. Allah stated that He has changed our Qiblah to the Qiblah of Ibrahim and chose it for us so that He makes us the best nation ever. Hence, we will be the witnesses over the nations on the Day of Resurrection, for all of them will then agree concerning our virtue.
The word Wasat in the Ayah means; the best and the most honored. Therefore, saying that (the Prophet's tribe) Quraysh is in the Wasat regarding Arab tribes and their areas, means the best.
Similarly, saying that Allah's Messenger was in the Wasat of his people, means he was from the best sub tribe. Also, Asr, the prayer that is described as `Wusta' (a variation of the word Wasat), means the best prayer, as the authentic collections of Hadith reported. Since Allah made this Ummah (Muslim nation) the Wasat, He has endowed her with the most complete legislation, the best Manhaj (way, method, etc.,) and the clearest Madhhab (methodology, mannerism, etc).
Allah said:
هُوَ اجْتَبَـكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكمْ فِى الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّـكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَـذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيداً عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ
He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islamic Monotheism to mankind), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship: it is the religion of your father Ibrahim. It is He (Allah) Who has named you Muslims both before and in this (the Qur'an), that the Messenger (Muhammad) may be a witness over you and you be witnesses over mankind! (22:78)
Moreover, Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Sa`id narrated:
Allah's Messenger said:
يُدْعَى نُوحٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامة، فَيُقَالُ لَهُ: هَلْ بَلَّغْتَ ؟
Nuh will be called on the Day of Resurrection and will be asked, `Have you conveyed (the Message)?'
فَيَقُولُ: نَعَمْ،
He will say, `Yes.'
فَيُدْعَى قَوْمُهُ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ: هَلْ بَلَّغَكُمْ
His people will be summoned and asked, `Has Nuh conveyed (the Message) to you?'
فَيَقُولُونَ: مَا أتَانَا مِنْ نَذِيرٍ وَمَا أتَانَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ،
They will say, `No warner came to us and no one (Prophet) was sent to us.'
فَيُقَالُ لِنُوح: مَنْ يَشْهَدُ لَكَ ؟
Nuh will be asked, `Who testifies for you?'
فَيَقُولُ: مُحَمَّدٌ وَأُمَّتُهُ، قال فَذلِكَ قَوْلُهُ:
He will say, `Muhammad and his Ummah.'
This is why Allah said: وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا (Thus We have made you a Wasat nation).
قَالَ:
The Prophet said;
والْوَسَطُ الْعَدْلُ، فَتُدْعَون فَتَشْهَدُونَ لَهُ بِالْبَلَاغِ ثُمَّ أَشْهَدُ عَلَيْكُم
The Wasat means the Adl (just). You will be summoned to testify that Nuh has conveyed (his Message), and I will attest to your testimony.
It was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.
Imam Ahmad also reported that Abu Sa`id Khudri narrated:
Allah's Messenger said:
يَجِيءُ النَّبِيُّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَعَهُ الرَّجُلَانِ وَأَكْثَرُ مِنْ ذلِكَ، فيُدْعَى قَوْمُهُ، فَيُقَالُ: هَلْ بَلَّغَكُمْ هَذَا ؟
The Prophet would come on the Day of Resurrection with two or more people (his only following!), and his people would also be summoned and asked, `Has he (their Prophet) conveyed (the Message) to you?'
فَيَقُولُونَ: لَا
They would say, `No.'
فَيُقالُ لَهُ: هَلْ بَلَّغْتَ قَوْمَكَ ؟
He would be asked, `Have you conveyed (the Message) to your people?'
فَيَقُولُ: نَعَمْ،
He would say, `Yes.'
فَيُقالُ: مَنْ يَشْهَدُ لَكَ ؟
He would be asked, `Who testifies for you?'
فَيَقُولُ: مُحَمَّدٌ وَأُمَّتُهُ،
He would say, `Muhammad and his Ummah.'
فَيُدْعَى مُحَمَّدٌ وَأُمَّتُهُ، فَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ: هَلْ بَلَّغَ هذَا قَوْمَهُ ؟
Muhammad and his Ummah would then be summoned and asked, `Has he conveyed (the Message) to his people?'
فَيَقُولُونَ: نَعَمْ،
They would say, `Yes.'
فَيُقَالُ: وَمَا عِلْمُكُمْ ؟
They would be asked, `Who told you that?'
فَيَقُولُونَ: جَاءَنَا نَبِيُّنَاصلى الله عليه وسلّم فأخْبَرَنَا أَنَّ الرُّسُلَ قَدْ بَلَّغُوا،
They would say, `Our Prophet (Muhammad) came to us and told us that the Messengers have conveyed (their Messages).'
فَذلِك قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ:
Hence Allah's statement:
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا
Thus We have made you a Wasat nation.
قَالَ: عَدْلا
He said, "the `Adl,' he then continued reciting the Ayah,
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
Thus We have made you, a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you.''
Furthermore, Imam Ahmad reported that Abul-Aswad narrated:
I came to Al-Madinah and found that an epidemic had broken out that caused many fatalities. I sat next to Umar bin Al-Khattab once when a funeral procession started and the people praised the dead person.
Umar said, "Wajabat (it will be recorded as such), Wajabat!''
Then another funeral was brought forth and the people criticized the dead person. Again, Umar said, "Wajabat.''
Abul-Aswad asked, "What is Wajabat, O Leader of the faithful?''
He said, "I said just like Allah's Messenger had said:
أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ شَهِدَ لَهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ بِخَيْر أَدْخَلَهُ اللهُ الْجَنَّــة
Any Muslim for whom four testify that he was righteous, then Allah will enter him into Paradise.'
We said, `What about three?'
He said, وَثَلَاثَــــة `And three.'
We said, `And two'
He said, وَاثْنَان `And two.'
We did not ask him about (the testimony) of one (believing) person.''
This was also recorded by Al-Bukhari, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i.
The Wisdom behind changing the Qiblah
Allah then said:
وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللّهُ ...
And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e., disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy, difficult) except for those whom Allah guided.
Allah states thus: We have legislated for you, O Muhammad, facing Bayt Al-Maqdis at first and then changed it to the Ka`bah so as to find who will follow and obey you and thus face whatever you face.
مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْه (...from those who would turn on their heels.), meaning, reverts from his religion.
Allah then said,وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً (Indeed it was great (heavy, difficult). The Ayah indicates that changing the Qiblah from Bayt Al-Maqdis to the Ka`bah is heavy on the heart, except for whomever Allah has rightly guided their hearts, who believe in the truth of the Messenger with certainty and that whatever he was sent with is the truth without doubt.
It is they who believe that Allah does what He wills, decides what He wills, commands His servants with what He wills, abrogates any of His commands that He wills, and that He has the perfect wisdom and the unequivocal proof in all this. (The attitude of the believers in this respect is) unlike those who have a disease in their hearts, to whom whenever a matter occurs, it causes doubts, just as this same matter adds faith and certainty to the believers.
Similarly, Allah said:
وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُمْ مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَـذِهِ إِيمَـناً فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـناً وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ
وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَتْهُمْ رِجْسًا إِلَى رِجْسِهِمْ
And whenever there comes down a Surah (chapter from the Qur'an), some of them (hypocrites) say: "Which of you has had his faith increased by it!''
As for those who believe, it has increased their faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubt, disbelief and hypocrisy), it will add doubt and disbelief to their doubt and disbelief; and they die while they are disbelievers. (9:124-125)
and:
وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّـلِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا
And We send down of the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and it increases the wrongdoers in nothing but loss. (17:82)
Certainly, those who remained faithful to the Messenger, obeyed him and faced whatever Allah commanded them, without doubt or hesitation, were the leaders of the Companions.
Some scholars stated that; the Early Migrants (who migrated with the Prophet from Makkah to Al-Madinah) and Ansar (the residents of Al-Madinah who gave aid and refuge to both the Prophet and the Migrants) were those who offered prayers towards the two Qiblah (Bayt Al-Maqdis and then the Ka`bah).
Al-Bukhari reported in the explanation of the Ayah (2:143) that;
Ibn Umar narrated: While the people were performing the Fajr (Dawn) prayer in the Quba Mosque, a man came and said, "Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet and he was ordered to face the Ka`bah. Therefore, face the Ka`bah.'' They then faced the Ka`bah.
Muslim also recorded it. At-Tirmidhi added that; they were performing Ruku (bowing down in prayer), and then changed the direction (of the Qiblah) to the Ka`bah while still bowing down.
Muslim reported this last narration from Anas.
These Hadiths all indicate the perfect obedience the Companions had for Allah and His Messenger and their compliance with Allah's commandments, may Allah be pleased with them all.
Allah said:
... وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ ...
And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost.
meaning, the reward of your prayers towards Bayt Al-Maqdis before would not be lost with Allah. It is reported in Sahih that Abu Ishaq As-Sabi`y related that Bara' narrated: "The people asked about the matter of those who offered prayers towards Bayt Al-Maqdis and died (before the Qiblah was changed to Ka`bah). Allah revealed: وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ (And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost).''
It was also recorded by At-Tirmidhi from Ibn Abbas, and At-Tirmidhi graded it Sahih.
Ibn Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas narrated: وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ (And Allah would never make your faith to be lost) entails:
Your (prayer towards) the first Qiblah and your believing your Prophet and obeying him by facing the second Qiblah; He will grant you the rewards for all these acts.
Indeed,
... إِنَّ اللّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٤٣﴾
Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.''
Furthermore, it is reported in the Sahih that; Allah's Messenger saw a woman among the captives who was separated from her child. Whenever she found a boy (infant) among the captives, she would hold him close to her chest, as she was looking for her boy. When she found her child, she embraced him and gave him her breast to nurse.
Allah's Messenger said:
أَتُرَوْنَ هذِهِ طَارِحَةً وَلَدَهَا فِي النَّارِ وَهِي تَقْدِرُ عَلى أَنْ لَا تَطْرَحَه
Do you think that this woman would willingly throw her son in the fire?
They said, "No, O Messenger of Allah!''
He said,
فَوَاللهِ للهُ أَرْحَمُ بِعِبَادِهِ مِنْ هذِهِ بِوَلَدِهَا
By Allah! Allah is more merciful with His servants than this woman with her son.