The Two Divine Guarantees on Earth: Understanding the Prophet’s Role and the Importance of Forgiveness

Exploring Allah’s Guarantees: The Prophet’s Life and the Power of Seeking Forgiveness

First, let me clarify the purpose of writing this article so that my main message reaches both the general and specific audience along with the underlying message. By denying the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him), thousands of innovations and superstitions have been introduced into the religion. In fact, through the path of innovation, heretical beliefs and polytheistic practices have also emerged, and people take pride and joy in performing these actions. The denial of the Prophet’s death has arisen in such a way that, according to the Sufis, a Sufi, Wali, or Pir (spiritual guide) never dies; they always remain alive. Not only do they remain alive, but they also help everyone, coming and going, walking, eating, drinking, and seeing and hearing. When this is the state of the Awliya and Pirs, then it becomes necessary to deny the Prophet’s death and to believe that he is also alive. This way, the earnings from shrines are made lawful by denying the Prophet’s death, while no one in this world, whether a Prophet or a Wali, has eternal life except Allah. Only Allah possesses the attributes of Al-Hayy (The Ever-Living) and Al-Qayyum (The Sustainer), meaning Allah is the only Being who has always been alive and will always remain so. All creation must taste death. There are numerous evidences from the Quran and Hadith regarding this, but I will refrain from mentioning them here due to length and will suffice with just one verse from the Quran. I will also not discuss shrines, graves, seeking help from others, trading in the names of the dead, collecting money from the simple-minded public in the name of offerings, or exploiting women’s honor and dignity in the name of treatment, etc.

Surah Al-Anfal (8:33):
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ
Translation: “And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness.”

In the explanation of this verse, it is narrated in Sahih Bukhari:
حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ هُوَ ابْنُ كُرْدِيدٍ صَاحِبُ الزِّيَادِيِّ سَمِعَ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ أَبُو جَهْلٍ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِنْ السَّمَاءِ أَوْ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ فَنَزَلَتْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ وَمَا لَهُمْ أَنْ لَا يُعَذِّبَهُمْ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ الْآيَةَ
Translation: “Ahmad bin Nadr narrated to me, saying that Ubaidullah bin Mu’adh narrated to him, saying that our father narrated to us, saying that Shu’bah narrated from Abdul Hamid, who was the son of Kurayd, who heard from Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Jahl said, ‘O Allah! If this is the truth from You, then rain upon us stones from the sky or bring us a painful punishment.’ Then this verse was revealed: ‘And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness. And what is [the matter] with them that Allah would not punish them while they are preventing [people] from al-Masjid al-Haram?'”

This verse indicates that there are two guarantees from Allah on earth. The first guarantee is the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and the second guarantee is the believers’ seeking of forgiveness (istighfar). When Abu Jahl demanded punishment from Allah, He indicated that as long as the Prophet is alive, punishment would not come upon the people. During the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him), even the disbelievers were safe from Allah’s punishment. Now that Abu Jahl has died and the Prophet (peace be upon him) has passed away by Allah’s command, the first guarantee has been lifted from the earth.

It is also clarified in Tirmidhi, although the narration is weak, the meaning is correct:
عَنْ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ بْنِ أَبِي مُوسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ أَمَانَيْنِ لِأُمَّتِي وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ فَإِذَا مَضَيْتُ تَرَكْتُ فِيهِمْ الِاسْتِغْفَارَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ
Translation: Abu Burdah bin Abu Musa narrated from his father that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Allah has sent down two guarantees for my Ummah: (one) ‘And Allah would not punish them while you are among them,’ and (the other) ‘Nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness.’ And when I depart, I will leave the guarantee of seeking forgiveness until the Day of Resurrection.”

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that this meaning is mentioned in multiple books of Hadith and Tafsir, including Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi and Ibn Kathir.
أن الله جعل في هذه الأمة أمانين لا يزالون معصومين مجارين من طوارق العذاب ما دام بين أظهرهم فأمان قبضه الله إليه وأمان بقي فيكم قوله : وما كان الله ليعذبهم وأنت فيهم وما كان الله معذبهم وهم يستغفرون
Translation: “Indeed, Allah has placed two guarantees in this Ummah, and as long as these guarantees are among them, they will remain protected from sudden punishment. Thus, the first guarantee has been taken by Allah, and the second guarantee remains among you: ‘And Allah would not punish them while you are among them, nor would Allah punish them while they seek forgiveness.'”

In summary, one of Allah’s guarantees has been lifted from this earth, which is the passing of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Know that his departure from this world is a great loss for the Ummah. It is extremely regrettable for those who deny the Prophet’s death in order to gain worldly wealth. Even more regrettable is the fact that, while the guarantee of the Prophet’s life has been lifted from the earth, the worshippers of wealth and desires celebrate the Prophet’s birthday every year. Alas, what a pity!

One guarantee has gone, but Allah’s second guarantee still remains on earth: the seeking of forgiveness by the believers. Those who are involved in innovations should repent from their innovations and engage in abundant seeking of forgiveness. Those who are sinful should repent from their sins and frequently seek forgiveness from Allah. Those who are immersed in disbelief and sins should rectify their faith, perform righteous deeds, and hold fast to seeking forgiveness. Allah, through the means of seeking forgiveness, will avert punishment from us.

Currently, the situation of Muslims around the world is very dire. In these circumstances, it is essential to abandon whims, desires, and irreligion, and to return to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, to correct our actions, and to make seeking forgiveness a priority.

Author: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmad Salafi Hafizahullah
(Jeddah Dawah Center – Saudi Arabia)