from His path; that is what He has enjoined upon you so that you may become God-fearing.” [al-Anʿām 6:151-153]

These divine injunctions conveyed by the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) are his covenants with the community: to fear Allah, to worship Him alone with no partner, to hold fast to the guidance and religion of truth with which Allah sent him, and to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Meeting with Him.

His words, “You will not hear his voice,” mean that he is not loud-voiced or clamorous (1) like those who lack forbearance and dignity.

And his saying, “He opens blind eyes, deaf ears, and sealed hearts,” points to the completion of all ranks of knowledge and guidance brought about by his call in hearts, sights, and hearings. In this they differ entirely from the deaf, mute, and blind—those who have hearts yet fail to understand. Guidance reaches a servant through these three gates, but they remain shut to everyone until the messengers unlock them. Through Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace), Allah opened blind eyes so they could see by His light, opened deaf ears so they could hear His words, and opened sealed hearts so they could comprehend His message. Accordingly, people submitted to His obedience in mind, speech, and deed, and trod the paths leading to His pleasure with ease.

His statement, “Whatever I am given is not given to anyone else,” accords with his words, “I have been given what no prophet before me was given” (2). The angels, when drawing a comparison for him, say: “This prophet has been granted what no prophet before him was granted: his eyes sleep while his heart remains awake” (3).