(45 - 48) “O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner; one who calls to Allah by His permission, and a radiant lamp. Give the believers glad tidings that they will receive great bounty from Allah. Do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites; refrain from harming them, and put your trust in Allah. Allah suffices as Trustee.”
These qualities with which Allah described His Messenger Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—constitute the purpose, essence, and foundations of his mission. They are five distinctive qualities:
The first is that he is “a witness”—that is, a witness over his nation regarding the good and evil they have done. Allah Most High says: “So that you may be witnesses over humanity and the Messenger may be a witness over you,” and: “How will it be when We bring a witness from every nation and bring you as a witness against these people?” Thus, he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is a just witness whose testimony is accepted.
The second and third are that he is “a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.” These two roles require that the recipients of the glad tidings and the warning be identified, together with what they are promised or warned of and the deeds that warrant each.
Those given glad tidings are the pious believers, who combine faith with righteous deeds and abstain from sin. In this worldly life, they receive glad tidings of every temporal and spiritual reward made consequent upon faith and piety, and in the Hereafter, of everlasting bliss.
All of this requires a detailed explanation of what has been mentioned: the various deeds, qualities of piety, and kinds of reward.
Those who are warned are the wicked wrongdoers, the people of wrongdoing and ignorance. In this world, they are warned of the temporal and spiritual punishments consequent upon ignorance and wrongdoing, and in the Hereafter, of grievous punishment and prolonged torment.
The details of this entire statement are contained in the Book and Sunnah brought by the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—which encompass all of that.
The fourth is that he is “one who calls to Allah.” That is, Allah sent him to call people to their Lord, lead them (1) to His honor, and command them to worship Him—the very purpose for which they were created. This requires that he himself remain steadfast upon that to which he calls and that he explain it in detail: acquainting them with their Lord ⦗668⦘ through His holy attributes; declaring Him far above everything unbefitting His majesty; explaining the various forms of worship; calling to Allah by the most direct path leading to Him; giving everyone their due; and sincerely directing the call to Allah rather than to himself or his own glorification, as may befall many souls in this position. All of this is by Allah Most High’s permission for him to call, and by His command, will, and decree.
The fifth is that he is “a radiant lamp.” This implies that creation was enveloped in immense darkness, with no light by which to find the way through it and no knowledge by which to find guidance amid its ignorance (2), until Allah brought this noble Prophet. Through him, Allah illuminated that darkness, dispelled ignorance, and guided those who were astray to the straight path.
The path thus became clear to the people of uprightness, so they followed this leader. Through him, they recognized good and evil and distinguished the fortunate from the wretched. By his light, they came to know the One they worship, recognizing Him through His praiseworthy attributes, perfect actions, and wise rulings.
Regarding His words, “Give the believers glad tidings that they will receive great bounty from Allah,” this statement identifies those who are given the glad tidings: the believers. When faith is mentioned on its own, righteous deeds are included within it.
It also identifies what they are promised: great bounty—that is, immense and magnificent bounty whose measure cannot be comprehended. It includes victory in this world, guidance of the hearts, forgiveness of sins, relief from distress, abundant provision, the attainment of delightful blessings, the triumph of earning their Lord’s good pleasure and reward, and deliverance from His wrath and punishment.
One means of encouraging people to act is to mention Allah’s reward for their deeds, thereby helping them to follow the straight path. This is among the wisdoms of the divine law. Similarly, another of its wisdoms is to mention, in the context of warning, the punishments resulting from what is being warned against, thereby helping people refrain from what Allah has forbidden.
There is, however, a group of people ready to obstruct those who call to Allah—namely, the messengers and their followers. They are the hypocrites, who outwardly profess agreement with the faith while inwardly being wicked disbelievers, and the disbelievers, who are such both outwardly and inwardly. Allah therefore forbade His Messenger to obey them and warned him against doing so, saying: “Do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites”—that is, in anything that obstructs Allah’s path. But this does not entail harming them [rather, do not obey them and “refrain from harming them”] (3), for this is more likely to win them over and invite them to accept Islam, as well as to cause them to desist from much of the harm they inflict upon him and his followers.
“And put your trust in Allah” to bring your mission to completion and defeat your enemy. “Allah suffices as Trustee”: momentous affairs are entrusted to Him, and He accomplishes them and makes them easy for His servant.