Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

as mentioned by Imam Jalal ul-Din al-Suyuti in Khasais al-Kubra

1. The first of prophets in creation, the first of prophets in prophethood

and the taking of the covenant with him
.

Ibn Abi Hatim has related in his tafsir and Abu Naim in Dalail from Qatada
from al-Hasan from Abu Hurairah  from the Prophet
regarding the verse:
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And remember We took from the prophets their covenant: from you thee: from
Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary.
We took from them a solemn covenant. (Ahzab:7)

That I was the first of Prophets in creation and the last of them to be sent and
so He began with me before them.

2. The Uniquity of his noble name written with the name of Allah upon the
Throne and upon everything in the Malakut.

Hakim, Bayhaqi, Tabarani, Abu Naim, Ibn Asakir have all related from Umar bin
al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him who said that the Messenger of
Allah said,
When Adam committed the mistake he said, O Lord I ask you by the
right of Muhammad that you forgive me. Allah replied, And how do you
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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

know of Muhammad? He said, Because when You created me with

Your Hand and breathed into me from your spirit, I raised my head and I
saw written upon the pillars of the Throne written There is no god but
Allah Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. So I knew that you would
not attach to Your Name anyone except the most beloved of creation to
You. He said, You have spoken the truth, O Adam, if it was not for
Muhammad I would not have created you.

Ibn Asakir has related from Kab al-Ahbar who said,

Allah gave Adam staffs by the number of prophets and messengers. Adam
then approached his son Sheth and said, My son, you are my Khalifa after
me, so take them with taqwa and with the al-urwatul wuthqa. And every
time you remember Allah then remember alongside Him the name of
Muhammad
, for I saw his name written upon the pillars of the Throne,
while I was between spirit and clay. I then circumbulated the heavens and
there was not a single space in the heavens except that I saw the name of
Muhammad written there. I saw the name of Muhammad written upon the
chests of the Hur al-Ayn, upon the vine leaves of al-Jannah, and upon the
leaves of the tree of Tuba, upon the leaves of Sidra tul-Munatah, upon the
sides of the veils, and between the eyes of the angels; therefore be
abundant in remembrance of him. For the angels remember him in every
moment.

3. The Uniquity of the covenant taken from the Prophets to believe in

him

Allah the Exalted has said:

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

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Behold! Allah took the Covenant of the prophets, saying: "I give you a Book
and Wisdom; then comes to you an apostle, confirming what is with you; you
must believe in him and support him. He said: "Do you agree, and take this My
Covenant as binding on you?" They said: "We agree." He said: "Then bear
witness, and I am with you among the witnesses." (Imran:81)

Ibn Abi Hatim has related from al-Suddi that he said regarding this verse:
No prophet has been sent from the time of Nuh except that Allah took a
covenant from him to believe in Muhammad and if he was to appear during
their time to support him. Otherwise to take a covenant from his people to
believe in him, to support him if the Prophet was to appear and they were
alive.

4. The Uniquity of his companions being mentioned in the previous

scriptures

Allah the Exalted has said,

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before This we wrote In the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My
servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth." (al-Ambiya: 105).

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

Ibn Abi Hatim has related from Abu Darda  regarding the verse above, that
he said We are the Righteous.
I have come across a copy of the Zabur and it consists of 150 chapters. I saw in
the fourth chapter O Dawud listen to what I say, and order Sulayman so that
he tells the people after you, that the Earth belongs to Me; and Muhammad or
his Ummah will inherit it.

5. The Uniquity of the purity of his lineage

Ibn Saad, and Ibn Asakir have related from Ibn Abbas who said, The
Messenger of Allah
said, I emerged from Adam through nikah and not
through other than that.

6. The Uniquity of his seal of prophethood

Bukhari and Muslim have related from Saib bin Yazid, who said, I stood
behind the Prophet and saw his seal between his shoulder blades, it looked like
the egg of a partridge.

7. The Uniquity of the number of his names indicating the honour of the
named

Some of the scholars have said that there are a thousand or so names of the
Prophet mentioned in the Quran and hadith and some of them have been
mentioned in the ancient scriptures.

Bukhari and Muslim have related from Jubair bin Mutim  that he heard the
Messenger of Allah
said,
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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

I have a number of names: I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am al-Mahi

by whom Allah wipes away kufr, I am al-Hashir, the people will be
gathered to my feet, I am al-Aqib, and al-Aqib is the one after whom
there is no other prophet.

8. The Uniquity that he has been named with the names of Allah the
Exalted.

Qadi Iyad has mentioned, Allah has selected his Prophet in that He has named
him His names, around 30 names, they are:
al-Akram (the Generous),

al-Afw, (the Pardoner),

al-Amin, (the Trustworthy),

al-Alim, (the Knowing),

al-Awwal, (the First),

al-Aziz, (the Grand),

al-Akhir (the Last),

al-Fatih, (the Opener),

al-Bashir, (the giver of glad tidings),

al-Karim, (the Generous),

al-Jabbar, (the Mighty),

al-Muhaimin,
Protector),

al-Haqq, (the Truth),

al-Khabir, (the Knower),
Dhul Quwwa, (the Possessor of
Strength),

(the

Watchful

al-Muqaddas, (the Holy),

al-Mawla, (the Guardian),
al-Wali, (the Entrusted One),

al-Raouf (the Kind),

al-Nur, (the Light),

al-Rahim (the Merciful),

al-Hadi, (the Guide),

al-Shahid, (the Witness),

Taha,

al-Sadiq, (the Truthful),

Yasin.

al-Adhim, (the Great),

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

9. The Uniquity of the Prophets blessed name being derived from the
name of Allah

Hassan bin Thabit  has praised the Prophet
saying:

Allah has joined the name of the Prophet with His name
For when the Muadhin says five times a day, I bear witness,
He derived for him a name from His name to adorn him
So the Owner of the throne is Mahmud and he is Muhammad

Ibn Asakir has related from Ibn Abbas who said

When the Prophet was born Abdul Muttalib performed the Aqeeqa with a
ram and he named him Muhammad
. He was asked, O Abu al-Harith, why
did you name him Muhammad and not name him with a name from your
forefathers? He replied, I wanted that Allah would praise him in the
heavens and that people would praise him upon the earth.

10.The Uniquity of the Prophet being sent to all of the creation and having
the most followers.

Allah the Exalted has said:

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We have not sent you but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them glad
tidings, and warning them (against sin), but most men understand not.
(Saba 28)

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

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Blessed is He Who sent down the Criterion to His servant, that it may be an
admonition to all creatures. (Furqan: 1)

Bukhari and Muslim have related from Jabir , that the Messenger of Allah

has said,
I have been given five characteristics which no other Prophet has been
given before me. I have been helped with dread by the distance of a month,
the earth has been made a masjid and purification for me. So wherever a
man from my Ummah needs to pray then let him pray. Spoils have been
made lawful for me and there were not lawful to anyone before me. I have
been given the intercession and a prophet would, in the past, be sent to his
people only, whereas I have been sent to the whole of mankind.

11.The Uniquity of Allah taking an oath by the Prophets life.

Abu Yala, Ibn Mardaweh, al-Bayhaqi, Abu Naim, Ibn Asakir have all related
from Ibn Abbas  who said,
Allah the Exalted has not created nor brought forth a soul more noble
than Muhammad
. Allah has never taken an oath by the life of anyone
except the life of Muhammad
. He has said
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Verily, by your life (o Prophet), in their wild intoxication, they wander in
distraction, to and fro. (Hijr: 72)

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

12.The Uniquity of the Prophet being sent as a mercy to all the creation
even the Kuffar

The Exalted has said:

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We sent you not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.

And He has said

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But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst you are amongst them;
nor was He going to send it whilst they asked forgiveness. (al-Anfal:33)

13.The Uniquity of Allahs preference for him in address

Abu Naim has said from among his unique attributes is that Allah has
differentiated between the way that the prophets were addressed and the way
that the Messenger is addressed. The nations before used to say to their
Prophets, Raina Samak Take care of us and listen to us. Allah forbade this
address for this Ummah and so he taught them and said
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O ye of Faith! Say not Raina but say Unzurnaa wasmau: to those without
Faith is a grievous punishment. (Baqarah: 104)

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

14.The Uniquity of the prohibition of calling the Prophet by his name

Abu Naim has said: From among his unique attributes is the prohibition of
addressing the Prophet by his name. This is in contrast to all the other
prophets and nations for they used to address them by their names. Allah the
Exalted has said relating what they said:
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They said: "O Moses! Fashion for us a god like unto the gods they have."
(al-Aaraf:138).

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Behold! The disciples, said: "O Jesus the son of Mary! (Maidah:112)

And then the Exalted said to this nation:

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Deem not the summons of the Messenger among yourselves, like the summons
of one of you to another. (Nur: 63).

15.The deceased will be asked regarding him

Ahmad, and Bayhaqi have related from Aisha g that the Messenger of Allah

has said:
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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

As for the fitna of the grave; it is regarding me that you will be tested,
and regarding me that you will be questioned. A Righteous man will be
made to sit and it will be said to him, Who was this man that was sent
to you? He will reply That was Muhammad the Messenger of Allah.

Hakim Tirmidhi has said that the questioning of the grave is unique to this
Ummah, likewise Ibn Abd al-Barr has mentioned this in Kitab al-Barzakh.

16. Allah has taken charge of the Prophet and replied on his behalf.

Abu Naim has mentioned that the previous prophets used to defend
themselves and would reply to their enemies like Nuh:
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He said: "O My people! No wandering is there in my (mind): on the contrary I
am an apostle from the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds! (al-Aaraf:61)

And Hud:
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He said: "O My people! I am no imbecile, but (I am) an apostle from the Lord
and Cherisher of the worlds! (al-Aaraf: 67)

And the like, as for the Prophet; Allah took responsibility for absolving him
from that which his enemies accused him of and defending him, Himself. And
so He has said:

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

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Thou art not, by the Grace of Thy Lord, mad or possessed. (Qalam: 2)
And He has said:
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Your companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of
(his own) desire. (Najm 2-3)

17.The Uniquity of the The Prophet speaking to Allah at Sidra tul-Muntaha

Shaykh Izz al-Din ibn Abdul Salam has said, From among his unique attributes
is that Allah spoke to Musa upon Mount Tur and at the holy valley of Tuwa but
he spoke to our Prophet at Sidrat ul-Muntaha. And he united for him both
Speech and Vision and love and friendship, (Mahabba and Khulla).

Ibn Asakir has related from Ibn Masud who said, that the Messenger of Allah
said,
My Lord  said to me I granted Ibrahim My friendship, and I spoke to
Musa abundantly, and I have given you, O Muhammad, My friendship,
My love, and I have spoken to you openly, (meaning face to face).

Shaykh Izz al-Din has also said, Allah has spoken to the Prophet with a number
of different forms of revelation, A true vision, Speech without means, and
speaking through the means of Jibril.

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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

18. The Uniqueness of the Prophet being supported with dread by the
distance of a month and a distance behind him, and being granted
Jawami al-Kalim.

Ahmad has related from Ibn Abi Shayba, and Bayhaqi from Ali  that the
Messenger of Allah
has said,
I have been given that which no other prophet has been given. I have
been supported with dread, I have been given the keys to the Earth, I
have been named Ahmad, the earth has been made pure for me, and my
Ummah has been made the best of nations.

Muslim has related from Abu Hurairah  that the Prophet
has said,
I have been preferred with six. I have been given Jawami al-Kalim, and
am supported with dread, spoils have been made lawful for me, and the
Earth has been made a masjid and a place of purification. I have been
sent to the whole of creation, and the Prophets have been sealed with
me.

Ahmad has related, Ibn Hibban in his sahih, and Abu Naim from Jabir bin
Abdullah  who said that the Messenger of Allah
said,
I was presented with the keys of the Earth upon a pie bald horse. Jibril
brought it and it had upon it a green garment of fine silk.

19.The folding of the Earth for the Prophet

Ibn Saba has mentioned in his Khasais, that the Prophet would enter the night
hungry but would enter the morning satiated. There was no one who was able
to overpower him in strength. If he wanted purification and there was no
water he would extend his fingers and water would gush from them until he
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Twenty Unique Attributes of the Prophet

would perform purification. Allah united for him between love, friendship, and
speech and he spoke to Allah where no close angel had tread, or any sent
prophet entered and the earth would be folded for him.

20.The Uniqueness of the Prophets Companions

Ibn Jarir has related from Jabir bin Abdullah  that the Messenger of Allah

said,
Allah has preferred my companions from all the worlds except the
prophets and the messengers. And He chose from the companions four:
Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali and made them the best of
companions. And within all of my companions there is good.
He has chosen my Ummah over all the other nations and has chosen
from my Ummah four generations: the first generation, the second
generation, the third generation, consecutively and a fourth generation
on its own.

The consensus is that all of the companions are better than all of those who
will come after them, even though others may be greater in knowledge or
actions.

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