The Noor of Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم
Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made the Beloved and Blessed Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم a matchless human and has also blessed him with physical and spiritual Noor. A great thinker of the Ummah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: The Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم is a human as well as Noor. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم is a human in visible and physical appearance but is Noor in reality.
(Risalah Noor ma’ Rasaail Na’eemiyyah, pp. 39)
Noor of Muhammad, the very first creation
When Sayyiduna Jabir رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ asked about the very first creation, so the Holy Rasool صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم replied, declaring himself to be Noor, ‘O Jabir! Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ created the Noor of your Nabi before all other creatures.’
(Al-Musannaf, pp. 63, Hadees 18; Al-Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah, vol. 1, pp. 36)
Sayyiduna Imam Zayn-ul-‘Aabideen رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ stated: The Greatest and Noblest Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘Fourteen thousand years before the creation of Aadam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام, I was Noor in the court of Allah.’
(Al-Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah, vol. 1, pp. 39)
He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم further said: When Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ created Aadam, so He عَزَّوَجَلَّ granted superiority to his sons over his other sons. He (Sayyiduna Aadam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام) observed their superiority over others. (The Revered and Renowned Rasool صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم then said) At the end, Aadam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام saw me in the form of an elevated Noor, so he humbly asked in the Divine court, ‘O my Lord! Who is he?’ Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ said, ‘He is your son, Ahmad. He is the first one as well as the last one. And he will be the first to make intercession.’
(Dalaail-un-Nubuwwah lil-Bayhaqi, vol. 5, pp. 483)
Remarks of companions about Noor of Mustafa
Blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم witnessed the beautiful and blessed scenes of the Noor of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم, so they expressed them in their own manner.
- Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Abbas رَضِیَ اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُمَا said: There was space between the front blessed teeth of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم. When he صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم talked, Noor would appear through them. (Al-Jami’-us-Sagheer, pp. 403, Hadees 6482) Commenting on the above Hadees, Shaykh-ul-Islam ‘Allamah ‘Abdur Ra`oof Manaawi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: This Noor was felt. And his entire blessed body was Noor apparently as well as innerly. He صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم would even bestow Noor upon companions whomever he wanted, as was bestowed upon Sayyiduna Tufayl Bin ‘Amr Dausee رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. (Fayd-ul-Qadeer, vol. 5, pp. 93, summarized)7
- Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا stated: ‘The needle that went missing at the time of Sahr was found in the ray of light from his blessed face.’ (Al-Qaul-ul-Badi’, pp. 302, summarized)
- Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ stated: ‘When the Greatest and Noblest Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم smiled, the surroundings would brighten.’ (Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaq, vol. 10, pp. 242, Hadees 20657)
Noor as well as human
Remember! Noor and humanness are not opposite to each other and can go together. Sayyiduna Jibra`eel عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام has been created with Noor but he appeared in front of Sayyidatuna Maryam رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا in the form of a human. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ said:
فَاَرْسَلْنَاۤ اِلَیْهَا رُوْحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرًا سَوِیًّا(۱۷)
Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: We therefore sent Our Spiritual One (Jibra`eel) towards her, he appeared before her in the form of a healthy man.
(Part 16, Surah Maryam, Ayah 17)
Furthermore, the angel of death came to Sayyiduna Musa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام in the form of a human.
(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 450, Hadees 1339)
Belief of pious predecessors
Great commentators of the Holy Quran, leading scholars of Hadees and Islamic jurisprudence and prominent saints have also stated the fact that the Beloved and Blessed Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم is Noor. Commenting on the Ayah of the Quran
قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ مِّنَ اللّٰهِ نُوْرٌ وَّ كِتٰبٌ مُّبِیْنٌۙ(۱۵)’
Indeed towards you has come a light (Nabi Muhammad) from Allah, and a clear Book (Quran).(Part 6, Surah Al-Ma`idah, Ayah 15), a large number of commentators including Imam Abu Ja’far Muhammad Bin Jareer Tabari (who passed away in 310 AH), Imam Abu Muhammad Husayn Baghawi (who passed away in 510 AH), Imam Fakhruddin Raazi (who passed away in 606 AH), Imam Naasiruddin ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Amr Baydawi (who passed away in 685 AH), ‘Allamah Abul Barakaat ‘Abdullah Nasafi (who passed away in 710 AH), ‘Allamah Abul Hasan ‘Ali Bin Muhammad Khaazin (who passed away in 741 AH), Imam Jalaluddin Suyuti Shaafi’i (who passed away in 911 AH) رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی have declared that the word “Noor” in the above blessed Ayah refers to the blessed being of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم. Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Qadi Iyaad Maliki رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه (who passed away in 544 AH) has stated, ‘The shadow of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم would not appear on the ground in the light of sun and moon because he is Noor.’ (Ash-Shifa, vol. 1, pp. 368)
Noor of Ambiya covered by Noor of Mustafa
The commentator of the book ‘Bukhari’, Imam Ahmad Bin Muhammad Qastalani رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه (who passed away in 923 AH) stated: When Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ created the Noor of our Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم, so He عَزَّوَجَلَّ ordered it to see the Noor of all Ambiya. So Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ covered the Noor of all Ambiya with the Noor of our Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم. They humbly said, ‘O Lord! Whose Noor has covered us?’ Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ said, ‘هٰذَا نُوۡرُ مُحَمَّدِ ابۡنِ عَبۡدِ اللّٰهِ’ this is the Noor of Muhammad (صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم) who is the son of ‘Abdullah. If you believe in him, so I will make you Nabi.’ (Al-Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah, vol. 1, pp. 33) Dear Islamic brothers! In order to get detailed information about the Noor of Mustafa صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم, it will be very useful to read the booklet ‘صِلَات الصَّفَاءِ فِيۡ نُوۡرِ الۡمُصۡطَفٰي’ contained in the 30th volume of Fatawa Razawiyyah authored by A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه, as well as the 64-page booklet ‘Risala-e-Noor’ contained in Rasaail Na’eemiyyah authored by a great thinker of the Ummah Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه.
