Kitab ash-Shifa bita'rif ‘Huquq Al-Mustapha (The Antidote in knowing the rights of Chosen Prophet).

The Imam, Hafiz, Abulfadl (may Allah be pleased with him) opens his great work of Prophet Mohammed's biography with an introduction saying: Praise be to Allah who is alone in possessing His most splendid Name, and is the Owner of unconquerable might. Praise be to Allah who is Unique having the highest Names, the Owner of tremendous might, having neither beginning nor end. He is apparent, not by imagination or guesswork. He is the hidden out of purity, not out of nonexistence who has encompassed everything in His Mercy and Knowledge Allah has sent an abundance of His Favor to those whom He guides (friends) and He sent to them a Messenger of pure descent from the best among Arabs and non-Arabs and who is the finest both in lineage and upbringing. His intelligence and patience were greater than any of the creation of Allah, and his knowledge and understanding were indeed of the highest standing. His conviction was the strongest likewise his determination, as for his compassion and mercy it was the greatest of all humans. Allah purified him in both spirit and body and protected him from all imperfections and blemishes, and bestowed him with wisdom and judgment. Through him, Allah opened eyes that were blind, hearts that were covered and ears that were deaf, and He caused people to believe in Him. Those whom Allah had decreed happiness honoured and helped him, as for those to whom Allah had written wretchedness they rejected and turned away from him. Allah says, "But he who is blind in this life shall be blind in the Everlasting Life and will be further astray from the Path." 17:72. May Allah praise His Messenger with praising that increase continuously and may He grant peace upon his family and Companions.

(After the above introduction Hafiz, Abulfadl supplicated), "May Allah illumine both your heart and mine with the lights of certainty. May He bestow upon us subtleness as He bestowed His friends (Awliya), those who are fearful of Him, those whom He has honoured by sending to them from His Purity and who has distanced them from humanity thereby gifting them from His Knowledge and the witnessing of the marvels of His Kingdom and the traces of His Might in which their hearts were full of wonderment and so their brains wandered in His Greatness." Such friends that make Him their only pursuit and witness Him in this life and in the Everlasting Life are blessed by seeing the Beauty and Majesty of Allah as they go to and fro between the tasting of His Power and the enormity of His Greatness. They are totally satisfied immersed in their devotion and reliance upon Him applying to themselves the saying of Allah, "Say, 'Allah'. Then leave them, playing in their plunging." 6:91.

I have been asked many times to write a reference that harvests the definition of the rank of the chosen, Prophet Mohammed, may Allah praise and venerate him and grant him peace, that depicts his deservedly great honour and the respect due to him. And, the verdict upon those who do not fulfil what is due to him or those who attempt to degrade the superiority of his rank by even the clip of a nail. I have also been asked to gather the statements of our predecessors and imams on his greatness and will support their sayings with verses from the Quran or parables. You should be aware that you have burdened me with a very difficult task, and that this task is a momentous undertaking and my heart is filled with apprehension. In order to produce this work it is necessary for me to evaluate the primary sources and examine the secondary sources, and research in both depth and detail the science of what is necessary for the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) what is permissible or forbidden in respect of him. It also necessitates a deep knowledge of his Messengership and Prophethood coupled with the love, and intimate friendship and the extra special qualities of his superlative rank.

Here one finds a vast desolate desert in which even the native bird becomes perplexed and unable to cross, and unknown places in which dreams, if they are not guided by the direction of knowledge and clarity of thought, go astray. It is a slippery slope where feet slip if they do not rely solely upon success and support from Allah. I have, however, great hopes of a reward for both of us in answering your questions by exposing the tremendous value and superb character together with the exceptional qualities of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) all of which none of creation ever possessed. I quote now the saying of Allah defining his duties, "So that those to whom the Book was given are certain and those who believe increase in belief." 74:31. Those to whom Allah gave the Book were obligated by Him to clarify it to the masses and not to conceal it.

To support this statement I quote the Prophetic saying related to me by Abulwalid Hisham, son of Ahmed with a direct chain of narrators up to Abu Hurairah, the well learned Companion, who tells us that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said, "Allah will bridle anyone with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection who, when asked about religious knowledge conceals it." And it is for this reason that I hastened my search to find some clear anecdotes, thereby achieving the object of my goal and fulfiling the obligation. In this life a person's body and mind are occupied with trials and affliction, and tested thereby. Needless to say such matters can easily distract him/her from his obligation and voluntary actions and a person, who after having achieved the best status can be reduced to the lowest, it is for this reason that I seize upon these anecdotes.

When Allah chooses the best for a person, He totally immerses him/her without restriction in his concern for that which will be praiseworthy both now and in the Everlasting Life. On the Day of Judgement there will only be bliss or the punishment of Hell, it is for this reason that a person should attend to his own affairs seeking the salvation of his/her own soul, and increasing the number of his good deeds as well as acquiring useful knowledge for the benefit of himself and others. Allah is the One who mends our broken hearts. He forgives the enormity of our sins. He enables us to prepare for our return to Him and provides us with multiple reasons for doing good things that will bring us to safety and near to Him. He is the Bestower of Favor and Mercy to us all. This then is my intention to proceed with the task. I have mapped out the chapters, organized its material and collated them. I name this reference Ash-Shifa bitarif Huquq Mustafa "The Healing (of the reader) by Defining the Rights of the Chosen Prophet"(peace and blessing be upon him).

Supreme Justice Iyyad