I like to present Jesus to my Muslim friends as the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5-6). But the response I usually hear is, “Mohammed is our mediator.” This idea is not found in the Qur’an but in the Hadith, which are seen by many Muslims to be just as authoritative as the Qur’an.
The Qur’an states that no one may mediate unless God permits him: “Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission?” (2:254-5). This question is answered by the Bukhari collection of the Hadith 6:60:3:
Narrated Anas:
The Prophet said, "On the Day of Resurrection the Believers will assemble and say, 'Let us ask somebody to intercede for us with our Lord.'
So they will go to Adam and say, 'You are the father of all the people, and Allah created you with His Own Hands, and ordered the angels to prostrate to you, and taught you the names of all things; so please intercede for us with your Lord, so that He may relieve us from this place of ours.'
Adam will say, 'I am not fit for this (i.e. intercession for you).' Then Adam will remember his sin and feel ashamed thereof. He will say, 'Go to Noah, for he was the first Apostle, Allah sent to the inhabitants of the earth.'
They will go to him and Noah will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking.' He will remember his appeal to his Lord to do what he had no knowledge of, then he will feel ashamed thereof and will say, 'Go to the Khalil--r-Rahman (i.e. Abraham).'
They will go to him [Abraham] and he will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking. Go to Moses, the slave to whom Allah spoke (directly) and gave him the Torah .'
So they will go to him [Moses] and he will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking.' and he will mention (his) killing a person who was not a killer, and so he will feel ashamed thereof before his Lord, and he will say, 'Go to Jesus, Allah's Slave, His Apostle and Allah's Word and a Spirit coming from Him.
Jesus will say, 'I am not fit for this undertaking, go to Muhammad the Slave of Allah whose past and future sins were forgiven by Allah.'
So they will come to me [Muhammad] and I will proceed till I will ask my Lord's Permission and I will be given permission. When I see my Lord, I will fall down in Prostration and He will let me remain in that state as long as He wishes and then I will be addressed.' (Muhammad!) Raise your head. Ask, and your request will be granted; say, and your saying will be listened to; intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.' I will raise my head and praise Allah with a saying (i.e. invocation) He will teach me, and then I will intercede. He will fix a limit for me (to intercede for) whom I will admit into Paradise. Then I will come back again to Allah, and when I see my Lord, the same thing will happen to me. And then I will intercede and Allah will fix a limit for me to intercede whom I will let into Paradise, then I will come back for the third time; and then I will come back for the fourth time, and will say, 'None remains in Hell but those whom the Quran has imprisoned (in Hell) and who have been destined to an eternal stay in Hell.' " (The compiler) Abu 'Abdullah said: 'But those whom the Qur'an has imprisoned in Hell,' refers to the Statement of Allah: "They will dwell therein forever." (16.29).
Bases on this hadith, I believe many of my Muslim friends actually place their faith and trust in Mohammed. They hope Mohammed will find them to be a good Muslim on Judgment day.
HT: Abdul Musloob
You write: 'the response I usually hear [from Muslims] is, “Mohammed is our mediator.”
ReplyDeleteI have never heard a Muslim say that 'Muhammad is our mediator'. Nor have I ever read such a belief expressed by a Muslim in writing or anywhere on the internet. Such an idea is completely unIslamic. We do not need a mediator between ourselves and God. Indeed, Jesus taught his disciples to pray directly to their father in heaven but not to himself.
I strongly suspect you are making up the story of Muslims believing Muhammad is a mediator.
Paul,
ReplyDeleteSince you disagree with the idea most Muslims believe Muhammad as their mediator, would you please explain the meaning of this Hadith above? Is it about mediation at the "day of judgment"? Mark you; it is Sahih and from Imam Bukhari, making it the most authoritative, only second to the Qur'an. Please help us non-Muslims understand it. Thank you.
You consider the idea of Muhammad being every Muslim's mediator "unIslamic" but this authoritative Hadith confounds you.
So you know these hadith texts, very well. As you can find it mediation could only happen if God grants to whom He wills. Even the prophet(pbuh) would be able to do so if God permits him to do. So its obnoxious to say muslim consider prophet to be their mediator. If that is the case what is the need of submitting to God. Its a christian idea of salvation in jesus(pbuh) not a muslim one. Kindly refrain from twisting Islamic texts to suit your agenda.
ReplyDelete