1. The Highest of All Creation
The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is an individual unrivaled amongst all mankind for all time, and history will never see another like him. Concerning this topic, the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Alī, peace be upon him, said, "There is nothing God has created superior to Muḥammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family."[1]
Though Khiḍr crossed the Water of Life,
Muḥammad passed beyond the Spring of the Spirit,
And if Solomon set his throne upon the winds,
Muḥammad refrained from playing with the wind.
If Moses’ enclosure was built from mountain rocks,
The palace of Aḥmad was made of pure light
And if the cradle of Jesus reached the celestial sphere,
Muḥammad leapt out of the cradle himself[2]
2. The First Among Creation
God has created in accordance with a particular system and in it He has provided the order of "the most noble, then the most noble after that" (al-ashraf fal-ashraf). He has made the first among creation "The Muḥammadan Truth"[ḥaqīqat-e Muḥammadiyyah ]. Sometimes this is also referred to as "The First Manifestation" [tajallī-e Awwal], or "The Far-Reaching Mercy" [raḥmat al-Wāsi‘ah]. Numerous traditions support this concept. Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh has narrated, "I asked the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), 'What is the first thing God created?' He answered, 'The light of your prophet, O Jābir! He first created it then from it He created all other things.'"[3]
The line from start to finish is one,
The whole of creation has become a journey to Him,
an this road prophets are like camel-drivers, being
conductors and guides of the caravan.
From among them our master has become chief,
Both first and last with regard to this affair,
With him, the end of this road has been reached;
Concerning him has been revealed: "I invite others to
God." [verse 108 of chapter 12 of the Holy Qur’an]
3. Favored with Support from the Unseen
Since God is aware of the future decisions people will make and the deeds they will perform, He grants particular favors to individuals who have the spirit of pursuing the truth and choosing the path of virtue. For this reason, beginning in their childhood years, He places them under the umbrella of His guardianship. Spiritual individuals in general and the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) in particular, were the recipients of such gifts. "Verily, from the beginning of the Prophet's childhood (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) God sent the greatest of His angels to be his companion in order to familiarize him with the path of noble traits and the virtues of universal ethics (akhlāq)."[4]
History books have recorded numerous instances where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) received unseen support.
4. The All-Embracing Mercy [raḥmat al-wāsi‘ah]
Another instance that shows the spiritual station of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) is that he was the manifestation and fountain of God's providence. This station was granted to him due to his inner purity. This trait was manifest in his blessed existence from childhood and continued until the end of his life. For this reason and due to his noble existence, God refrained from punishing this community (ummah, the community of the Prophet). "God will not punish them while you are amongst them and God will not punish them so long as they ask for forgiveness."[5]
In other words, just as the manifestation of God's mercy is to be found in repentance and seeking forgiveness, it is also to be found in the existence of the “Noble Prophet” (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
