The Shadowless Prophet

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is a transcript of discourse given by Mawlana Wafi’ Muhammad.  Today, insha’Allah, we will deal with an unusual topic which is why Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was shadowless.  Firstly, we need to understand that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was a human being.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ حٰمٓ السجدة / فُصّلَت

قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۟ بَشَرٌ۬ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمۡ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ ... (٦) 

… there has come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book. ― (Surah al-Ma’idah:15) 

One of the possible reasons why Allah (s.w.t.) Gave us this information in the Qur’an is because of the birth of Jesus (a.s.).  Jesus (a.s.) was the second-to-last messenger and he came into this world in a very miraculous way.  His ruh was placed in his mother and then the physical aspect of his personality was formed.  After the coming of Jesus (a.s.), came Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and Allah (s.w.t.) is Telling us that this messenger is normal human just like everyone else.  The difference lies in the fact that he is the recipient of Divine Revelations.  The next thing important point of reference is that although Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was a normal human being, he was indeed special.  His soul existed long before Adam (a.s.) was Created.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ المَائدة

... قَدۡ جَآءَڪُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ نُورٌ۬ وَڪِتَـٰبٌ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ (١٥) 

… there hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book. ― (Surah al-Ma’idah:15) 

A lot of scholars opine that the new “light” is a reference to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).  He contained a special light that was radiating from his personality.  And there are a lot of narrations from his companions that stated that his countenance was physically brighter than the full moon.  For example, when he was 3½ years old, and was in the care of Sayyidatina Halimah bint Abu Dzu’ayb as-Sa’diyah (r.a.), he went missing one day and when Sayyidatina Halimah (r.a.) and her family went looking for him, they saw from a far a bright light perched on a tree.  Upon closer observation, they found that the light they saw was, in fact, Muhammad (s.a.w.) sitting on one of the branches.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says in Ayat an-Nur, “light upon light.”  In other words, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was a reflection of pure and refined light.  Thus, emanating from his personality was only light. 

Now with all this in mind, to answer the initial question, why was Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) shadowless, we need to understand that a weaker source of light cannot cast a shadow on a brighter and more refined source of light.  For example, we cannot see the shadow of the stars because of the brightness of the Sun.  This was the case with Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.).  The light emanating from his personality was so refined and bright that the Sun or other sources of light could not have cast a shadow from his blessed personality.  There are other matters pertaining to his status and relationship with his Lord such as a cloud shaded him whenever he was in the open.  But that is as a result of his exalted status. 

What is the implication of this?  There must been a reason and lesson in all of this for us.  After all, he is our model.  Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) came to remove darkness from the earth.  And what is a shadow?  Something dark.  So, Allah (s.w.t.) has Caused it to be that not even a dark shadow came from him.  All that came from him was light.  His personality was so bright and beautiful that whenever Sayyidatina ‘Aishah bint Abu Bakr (r.a.) wanted to mend a piece of clothing late in the afternoon she never lit a lamp but instead sat next to the beloved Messenger (s.a.w.) and was able to use the light that emanated from him to see.  Can we imagine this blessed personality?  He is so special and because of this we should acquaint ourselves with these nice and remarkable things about him.  And if we can connect ourselves to him, we can also benefit and share in his light.  May Allah (s.w.t.) Enable us to connect to this magnificent source of light and through our effort may it be a means of eradicating the darkness and blemishes from our personality.