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Bismillah.
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِى وَنُسُكِى وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِى لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُۥ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا۠ أَوَّلُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
Say, indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. I have been commanded to follow this creed, and I am the first of those who submit [to Allah].
(Sūrat al-An‘ām, No. 6, Āyāt 162 & 163)
A wise person usually has a purpose in doing an action. A person who performs
an action without having any purpose in mind would not be considered sensible.
Allah ‘azza wajall also highlights in the Quran that everything that He has created has a
purpose. The difference between humans and the rest of creation is that everything else has had its purpose predetermined by Almighty Allah, while humans have the choice between accepting that purpose or rejecting it.
In these two verses, Allah asks Prophet Muhammad sallal-lāhu ‘alayhi wa-ālihi wasallam to tell the people about his own purpose, and the fact that he was the first of those who submitted to this purpose. We learn three main lessons from this verse:
1. Prophet Muhammad’s ‘Ismah: Allah asks the Prophet (s) to say that everything, from his life and death, prayer and sacrifice – and here prayer symbolises the relationship between God while sacrifice symbolises the relationship with the people – is for Allah alone. And that would mean none of his actions would be against the commands of God.
2. Alignment of purpose: One of the reasons why Allah asks the Prophet (s) to describe himself in this verse is to show the believer that this is the golden standard which each person must try to achieve. Each one of us must strive to emulate the Prophet (s) in making sure all our actions are solely for Allah. As the Quran instructs us: Certainly, for you, in the Messenger of Allah, is an excellent example for anyone
whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. (Q 33:21)
3. The first to submit: The commentators of the Holy Quran have interpreted it in
different ways. Al-Fayd al-Kāshānī states: “The first to respond to Allah on the day
of the covenant was the Prophet (s).” ‘Muslim’ means the one who submits to the command of Allah, and this meaning is true for all the divine prophets and their believing nations. However, the Messenger of Islam was the first of the Muslims, either from the aspect of the religion of Islam he brought and its importance, or because the degree of his Islam and submission is higher and better than everyone else.
The highest achievement of a human being is to understand and follow the laws decreed by Allah subhānahu wata‘ālā, which alone generate good in individual and collective life. This is only possible to do through a firm and correct understanding of monotheism. The words ‘He has no partner’ emphasizes the Islamic principle of tawhīd, the oneness and uniqueness of Allah. It underscores the belief that Allah (swt) is the sole deity, without any associates or partners. It would also be demonstrated through obedience and submission: I have been commanded, and I am the first to submit‘ indicates a commitment to following Allah’s commands and recognizing oneself as among those who submit to His will. It reflects an attitude of humility and obedience.
All the aspects of living with reference to self, family, relatives and possessions would be employed in the service of Allah, out of His love, if one completely surrenders to the will of Allah. There was no better or greater manifestation of perfect submission to Allah than the Holy Prophet (s) and his Ahlul Bayt ‘alayhimus-salām. They were divinely commissioned to establish themselves as everlasting ideals or models for mankind till the day of judgement.
As we celebrate the month of the Holy Prophet (s), it is imperative that we seek to
emulate his example in our lives, making sure that every action is solely for the pleasure of Allah. We continue to pray for all the oppressed around the world, especially the resilient people of Palestine and Lebanon.
References: Shaykh Nāsir Makarim Shirazi, Al-Amthal fi Tafsīr Kitāb Allah al-Munzal; Shaykh Muhsin Fayd al-Kāshānī, Tafsīr al-Sāfi.