16
The Descent of Revelation Upon Him
He was commissioned with Sūrah al-Muddaththir while he was still in Mecca, and he later migrated to Madinah. Allah sent him to warn against polytheism and to summon people to pure monotheism. The proof is the Almighty’s words:
“O you who covers himself [with a cloak],
arise and warn;
exalt your Lord;
purify your garments;
abandon the idols;
do not confer favor seeking more;
and for the sake of your Lord be patient.” (Al-Muddaththir 1–7) ⦗59⦘
(59) Thereafter the Divine word was revealed: “O you who are wrapped up! Arise and warn…” (surah al-Muddaththir, 1–2). This marks his commissioning as a messenger; hence the Shaykh’s statement that Allah “made him a prophet with ‘Read’ and sent him forth with ‘O you who are wrapped up’.”
The difference between a prophet (nabi) and a messenger (rasul) is as follows: a prophet is granted revelation containing a law but is not charged with conveying it to others, whereas a messenger is given a law and expressly ordered to communicate it. In practical terms, the messenger receives a new dispensation and a scripture—thus Muhammad was made a prophet by the verse “Read” and a messenger by “O you who are wrapped up” when he reached the age of forty, and the same pattern applies to the other messengers. By contrast, a prophet is sent to uphold an earlier law and scripture, being informed only of certain specific matters; such were the prophets of the Children of Israel after Moses.
The term al-muddaththir means “the one enveloped in his cloak,” for the Prophet—seized by awe—said, “Cover me, cover me,” i.e., “wrap me up.” In response Allah revealed: “O you who are wrapped up! Arise and warn, and magnify your Lord, and purify your garments…”
نزول الوحي عليه
وأرسل بـ " المدثر "، وبلده مكة، وهاجر إلى المدينة، بعثه الله بالنذارة عن الشرك، ويدعو إِلَى التَّوْحِيدِ، وَالدَّلِيلُ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ وَلَا تَمْنُنْ تَسْتَكْثِرُ وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ﴾ [المدثر: ١-٧] . [٥٩]
[٥٩] ثم نزل عليه قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ﴾ هذا هو الإرسال وهذا معنى قول الشيخ: نبأه باقرأ وأرسله بالمدثر.
والفرق بين النبي والرسول أن النبي هو من أوحي إليه بشرع ولم يؤمر بتبليغه، والرسول هو من أوحي إليه بشرع وأمر بتبليغه، وتوضيح ذلك أن الرسول تنزل عليه شريعة وكتاب فهو نبئ باقرأ وأرسل بالمدثر على رأس الأربعين، وكذلك الأنبياء، والنبي يبعث بشرع من قبله، وكتاب من قبله، ويوفى إليه ببعض المسائل كأنبياء بني إسرائيل من بعد موسى، والمدثر معناه الملتحف لأنه ﷺ أصابه شيء من الفزع، فقال: دثروني دثروني - أي: غطوني - فأنزل الله عليه: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ﴾ أي: عظمه ﴿وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ﴾