Elevating the Prophet’s Status

Throughout the Hadith literature, we see that the prophet's status and abilities are exalted beyond what is stated in the Quran. For example, We see numerous Hadith where the prophet knew the future, the unseen, and when and where people would die despite the Quran stating that he did not. For instance, there are Hadith informing the death of Fatima, the martyrdom of Umar and Uthman, and the expansion of the Umma to Syria, Jerusalem, India, Persia, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

[6:50] Say, “I do not say to you that I possess the treasures of GOD. Nor do I know the future. Nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I simply follow what is revealed to me.” Say, “Is the blind the same as the seer? Do you not reflect?”

قُل لَّآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْبَصِيرُ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

[7:188] Say, “I have no power to benefit myself, or harm myself. Only what GOD wills happens to me. If I knew the future, I would have increased my wealth, and no harm would have afflicted me. I am no more than a warner, and a bearer of good news for those who believe.”

قُل لَّآ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ لَٱسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوٓءُ إِنْ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

[31:34] With GOD is the knowledge regarding the Hour (end of the world). He is the One who sends down the rain, and He knows the contents of the womb. No soul knows what will happen to it tomorrow, and no one knows in which land he or she will die. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant.

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌۢ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۢ

Coincidentally, all these detailed prophetic Hadith stopped coming to fruition once people started becoming more critical of Hadith during the second Fitna.

According to Hadith, the prophet could see Jinns and the devil himself, who he wrestled and tied to the column of the masjid.

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) once offered the prayer and said, “Satan came in front of me and tried to interrupt my prayer, but Allah gave me an upper hand on him and I choked him. No doubt, I thought of tying him to one of the pillars of the mosque till you get up in the morning and see him. Then I remembered the statement of Prophet Solomon, ‘My Lord ! Bestow on me a kingdom such as shall not belong to any other after me.’ Then Allah made him (Satan) return with his head down (humiliated).”

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودٌ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ صَلَّى صَلاَةً قَالَ ‏”‏ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ عَرَضَ لِي، فَشَدَّ عَلَىَّ لِيَقْطَعَ الصَّلاَةَ عَلَىَّ، فَأَمْكَنَنِي اللَّهُ مِنْهُ، فَذَعَتُّهُ، وَلَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ أُوثِقَهُ إِلَى سَارِيَةٍ حَتَّى تُصْبِحُوا فَتَنْظُرُوا إِلَيْهِ فَذَكَرْتُ قَوْلَ سُلَيْمَانَ ـ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ـ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لاَ يَنْبَغِي لأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي‏.‏ فَرَدَّهُ اللَّهُ خَاسِيًا ‏”‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّضْرُ بْنُ شُمَيْلٍ فَذَعَتُّهُ بِالذَّالِ أَىْ خَنَقْتُهُ وَفَدَعَّتُّهُ مِنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ ‏{‏يَوْمَ يُدَعُّونَ‏}‏ أَىْ يُدْفَعُونَ وَالصَّوَابُ، فَدَعَتُّهُ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ كَذَا قَالَ بِتَشْدِيدِ الْعَيْنِ وَالتَّاءِ‏.‏

Sahih al-Bukhari 1210 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1210

[7:27] O children of Adam, do not let the devil dupe you as he did when he caused the eviction of your parents from Paradise, and the removal of their garments to expose their bodies. He and his tribe see you, while you do not see them. We appoint the devils as companions of those who do not believe.

يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ لَا يَفْتِنَنَّكُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ كَمَآ أَخْرَجَ أَبَوَيْكُم مِّنَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنْهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتِهِمَآ إِنَّهُۥ يَرَىٰكُمْ هُوَ وَقَبِيلُهُۥ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا تَرَوْنَهُمْ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا ٱلشَّيَـٰطِينَ أَوْلِيَآءَ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Hadith also claims the prophet was unlike regular mortals as he did not require food or sleep.

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) forbade Al-Wisal in fasting. So, one of the Muslims said to him, “But you practice Al- Wisal. O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)!” The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, “Who amongst you is similar to me? I am given food and drink during my sleep by my Lord.” So, when the people refused to stop Al-Wisal (fasting continuously), the Prophet (ﷺ) fasted day and night continuously along with them for a day and then another day and then they saw the crescent moon (of the month of Shawwal). The Prophet (ﷺ) said to them (angrily), “If It (the crescent) had not appeared, I would have made you fast for a longer period.” That was as a punishment for them when they refused to stop (practicing Al-Wisal).

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ الْوِصَالِ فِي الصَّوْمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِنَّكَ تُوَاصِلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏”‏ وَأَيُّكُمْ مِثْلِي إِنِّي أَبِيتُ يُطْعِمُنِي رَبِّي وَيَسْقِينِ ‏”‏‏.‏ فَلَمَّا أَبَوْا أَنْ يَنْتَهُوا عَنِ الْوِصَالِ وَاصَلَ بِهِمْ يَوْمًا ثُمَّ يَوْمًا، ثُمَّ رَأَوُا الْهِلاَلَ، فَقَالَ ‏”‏ لَوْ تَأَخَّرَ لَزِدْتُكُمْ ‏”‏‏.‏ كَالتَّنْكِيلِ لَهُمْ، حِينَ أَبَوْا أَنْ يَنْتَهُوا‏.‏

Sahih al-Bukhari 1965 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1965

He also could see behind his head.

Anas reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) one day led us in the prayer. and when he completed the Prayer he turned his face towards us and said: 0 People, I am your Imam, so do not precede me in bowing and prostration and in standing and turning (faces, i. e. In pronouncing salutation), for I see you in front of me and behind me, and then said: By Him in Whose hand Is the life of Muhammad, if you could see what I see, you would have laughed little and wept much more. They said: What did you see, Messenger of Allah? He replied: (I saw) Paradise and Hell.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، وَاللَّفْظُ، لأَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ ابْنُ حُجْرٍ أَخْبَرَنَا وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنِ الْمُخْتَارِ بْنِ فُلْفُلٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَلَمَّا قَضَى الصَّلاَةَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا بِوَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي إِمَامُكُمْ فَلاَ تَسْبِقُونِي بِالرُّكُوعِ وَلاَ بِالسُّجُودِ وَلاَ بِالْقِيَامِ وَلاَ بِالاِنْصِرَافِ فَإِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ أَمَامِي وَمِنْ خَلْفِي – ثُمَّ قَالَ – وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَوْ رَأَيْتُمْ مَا رَأَيْتُ لَضَحِكْتُمْ قَلِيلاً وَلَبَكَيْتُمْ كَثِيرًا ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا وَمَا رَأَيْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏”‏ رَأَيْتُ الْجَنَّةَ وَالنَّارَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

Sahih Muslim 426a https://sunnah.com/muslim:426a

[17:90] They said, “We will not believe you unless you cause a spring to gush out of the ground. [17:92] “Or unless you cause masses from the sky, as you claimed, to fall on us. Or unless you bring GOD and the angels before our eyes. [17:93] “Or unless you own a luxurious mansion, or unless you climb into the sky. Even if you do climb, we will not believe unless you bring a book that we can read.” Say, “Glory be to my Lord. Am I any more than a human messenger?”

وَقَالُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّىٰ تَفْجُرَ لَنَا مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ يَنۢبُوعًا أَوْ تُسْقِطَ ٱلسَّمَآءَ كَمَا زَعَمْتَ عَلَيْنَا كِسَفًا أَوْ تَأْتِىَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ قَبِيلًا أَوْ يَكُونَ لَكَ بَيْتٌ مِّن زُخْرُفٍ أَوْ تَرْقَىٰ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَن نُّؤْمِنَ لِرُقِيِّكَ حَتَّىٰ تُنَزِّلَ عَلَيْنَا كِتَـٰبًا نَّقْرَؤُهُۥ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّى هَلْ كُنتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَّسُولًا

In another alarming Hadith from Sahih Muslim, we see that one of the heavy narrators of Hadith, Abu Mas’ud, gave more sympathy to one who sought refuge in Muhammad rather than God.

Abu Mas’ud reported that he had been beating his slave, and he had been saying: I seek refuge in Allah, but he continued beating him, whereupon he said: I seek refuge in Allah’s Messenger, and he spared him. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Allah, God has more dominance over you than you have over him (the slave). He said that he set him free.

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَابْنُ، بَشَّارٍ – وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى – قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ، أَبِي عَدِيٍّ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَضْرِبُ غُلاَمَهُ فَجَعَلَ يَقُولُ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ – قَالَ – فَجَعَلَ يَضْرِبُهُ فَقَالَ أَعُوذُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَتَرَكَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ وَاللَّهِ لَلَّهُ أَقْدَرُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْكَ عَلَيْهِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَأَعْتَقَهُ ‏.‏

Sahih Muslim 1659d https://sunnah.com/muslim:1659d