The High status of Prophet s.a.w

The privilege and eminence of Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam).

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

What is the status of Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam).

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,
All praise and thanks are due to Allāh, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

It is prescribed for everyone who hears the adzān and call to Solāt to repeat after the muezzin, and when he has completed repeating the entire adzan, he should send prayers and blessings on the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam).- peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), then recite the words narrated in the sahih hadith from Jabir ibn ‘Abdallāh.

Jabir ibn Abdullah (radiallāhu’anha) reported that the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam). said:

“Whoever says when he hears the call to Solāt,

‘Allāhumma Rabba hādzihi’l-da’wat il-tāmmah wa’l-solāt il-qā’imah, aati Muhammadan al-wasīlata wa’l-fadīlah, wab’athhu maqāman mahmūdan alladzi wa’adtah’

(O Allāh, Lord of this perfect Call and the Solāt to be offered, grant Muhammad the privilege and also the eminence, and resurrect him to the praised position that You have promised);

Will be granted my intercession on the Day of Resurrection.”

[Reported by al-Bukhari, 579]

There is no phrase in this duā’ like “al-darajah al-‘āliyah al-rafī’ah” (the high and elevated status),” so this should not be said.

The conjunction “wa” in the phrase “al-wasīlata wa’l-fadīlah” (the privilege and also the eminence) is by way of explanation of Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam); wasīlah is the status higher than the rest of creation.

The Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam).explained it in the hadith narrated by ‘Abdallāh Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas (radiallāhu’anhu), who said that he heard the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam),say:

“When you hear the muezzin and say something like he says, then send blessings on me, whoever sends blessings on me, Allāh will send blessings tenfold on him. Then ask Allāh to grant me al-wasīlah, for it is a status in Paradise that only one of the slaves of Allāh will reach, and I hope that I will be the one. Whoever asks for al-wasīlah for me will be granted intercession.”

[Reported by Muslim, 577]

The “praised position” (Maqam Mahmūd) is intercession before Allāh so that He will start to judge between His slaves, and no one will be granted this except Muhammad (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam).This is mentioned in the words of Allāh addressed to the Prophet (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam):

“Perform al-salāh from mid-day till the darkness of the night (i.e., the Zuhur, ‘Asar, Maghrib and ‘Isha’ Solāts), and recite the Qur’an in the early dawn (i.e., the Morning Solāt   ). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’ān in the early dawn is ever witnessed (attended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night). And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Solāt (prayer) with it (i.e., recite the Qur’ān in the Solāt, as an additional prayer (Solāt al-Tahajjud ) for you (O Muhammad). It may be that your Lord will raise you to ‘maqāman mahmudah’ (a station of praise and glory, i.e., the highest degree in Paradise).”

[Al-Isra’, 17:78-79]

It is called al-Maqam al-Mahmūd because all of creation will praise Muhammad (Sallallāhu `Alayhi Wa Sallam)for that status, because his intercession will ease their distress on the Day of Judgement when the process of judgement would be in motion.

And Allāh knows best.

[Adapted from Fatwa No: 2036 Islam QA ]