Thursday, June 16, 2016

Juz’ 11 – At Tauba 93 – Hud 5, Topic: Waiting for a Sign

Juz '11 contains beautiful verses on the mystery of God and the worlds which we know and those that are unseen.

In Surah Yunus (Jonah), God speaks to Prophet Muhammed (SAAS) in ayah 20 when he says:

And they say, "Why has no sign been sent down unto him from his Lord?" Say, "Truly the Unseen belongs to God alone. So wait! Truly I am among those waiting along with you." (p.550)

In this remarkable ayah, Allah is communicating that even though the Prophet was the conduit for the revelation, he too was awaiting a sign to come. There is widespread debate in the community about how to view the Prophet's role in Islam. There are tendencies to relegate the Prophet to an ordinary man chosen for a message. However, for many including the Shi'i, the Prophet and his Nur is integral to understanding the Nur of Imammat. For this reason, confining the role of the Prophet to a mere conduit might strike us as insensitive. There are those, for example who take issue with the description of accounts of the Prophet's physical reaction to receiving revelation, because it paints him as a scared and weak figure. For me, the Prophet's vulnerability, which is also shown in this verse, is part of his strength and magnanimity. To be from among the believers and also to be chosen for Revelation reinforces the spirit of brotherhood in Islam and reiterates the beauty in the mystery of the Creator and creation. The fact that the Prophet too was waiting for signs also indicates that this relationship of a covenant and trust was formed by the Prophet and Allah. This covenant, where the Prophet was tried so many times, and yet maintained patience and his end of the bargain to Allah, is an example in living din (faith). If the Prophet was not among those who were also waiting for a sign, following his example would not be as relevant as it is. 

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