2:285-86 The Messenger has faith in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and the faithful. Each one has faith in God, His angels, His books, and His messengers: “We make no distinction among any of His messengers.” They say, “We hear and we obey! Thy forgiveness, our Lord! And to Thee is the homecoming.” God takes no soul to a task beyond its capacity. It shall have what it has earned, and against it shall be what it has acquired. “Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget or make mistakes. Our Lord, put not upon us a burden such as that Thou hast put on those before us. Our Lord, and do not burden us with what we do not have the strength to bear. And pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy upon us. Thou art our Patron, so help us against the people of the unbelievers.”
This is a declaration of the Highness and Eminence of the Messenger at the moment of contemplation. He said, “The Messenger has faith.” He did not say, “Thou hast faith.” This is how masters and kings are addressed in the manner of declaring their greatness. It is exactly like what He said about Himself at the beginning of the Surah of Opening: “Praise belongs to God.” He did not say, “Praise belongs to Me.”
This was to declare His own greatness and to make manifest His exaltedness and majesty. The Messenger has faith. Now that He has mentioned faith, the Uprising, the Garden, the Fire, the prayer, the alms tax, retaliation, fasting, hajj, struggle, marriage, divorce, menstruation, the waiting period, expenditure, foster relationship, forswearal, divorce initiated by the wife, inheritance, charity, vows, buying, selling, usury, debts, and ransom; and He has mentioned the stories of the prophets and the signs of His power, God completes the surah by mentioning that His prophet and the faithful assent to the truthfulness of all of it. Hence He says, The Messenger has faith in what was sent down to him from his Lord and the faithful. This is praise and laudation of the Prophet, who explained these rulings and delivered the message, and of the faithful, for we have recognized, accepted, and held firm to all the rulings, boundaries, stories of the prophets, and marks of God’s power and tremendousness that were mentioned.
What is even greater and more majestic is that God Himself gives witness to Muṣṭafā and his faith, and He gives witness to the faithful and their faith. This is witnessed by their God. It is a witnessing that faith comes by bestowal. Where are water and dust? What are the universe and Adam? In beginningless solicitude, the unitary majesty gave witness to the servant’s faith and placed the crown of friendship on his head.
Think! O Lord, it is You who made an oath of allegiance between Yourself and the servant without the servant. You gave witness to the servant’s faith without the servant. You wrote mercy for the servant against Yourself without the servant. You made a pact of friendship between Yourself and the servant without the servant. It is fitting for the faithful servant to be delighted that You have made a pact of friendship with him, for the basis of friendship’s treasure is all light, and the fruit of friendship’s tree is all joy. The field of friendship is a vast heart, and the kingdom of paradise is one branch of friendship’s tree.”
The Messenger has faith in what was sent down to him from his Lord and the faithful. Both the Messenger and the faithful have faith, but how far apart they are! The faith of the faithful is by way of inference, and the faith of the Messenger is by way of union. Their faith is by means of proofs, and the Messenger’s faith is through contemplation and face-to-face vision. The following has been narrated from him:
“I saw my Lord with my eyes on the night of the Miʿrāj. My Lord said to me, ‘O Muḥammad! The Messenger has faith in what was sent down to him from his Lord.’
“I said, ‘Yes.’ “He said, ‘Who else?’
“I said, ‘And the faithful. Each one has faith in God, His angels, His books, and His messengers; we make no distinction among any of His Messengers, unlike the Jews and the Christians.’
“He said, ‘And what do they say?’
“I said, ‘They say “We hear Your words and we obey Your command.”’
“He said, ‘You have spoken the truth. Ask, and it will be given to you.’
“I said, ‘Thy forgiveness, our Lord! And to Thee is the homecoming.’
“He said, ‘I have forgiven you and your community. Ask, and it will be given to you.’
“I said, ‘Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget or make mistakes.’
“He said, ‘I have removed mistakes and forgetfulness from you and your community. And what is it that you dislike?’
“I said, ‘Our Lord, put not upon us a burden such as that Thou hast put on those before us.’
“He said, ‘That belongs to you and your community.’
“I said, ‘Our Lord, and do not burden us with what we do not have the strength to bear.’
“He said, ‘I have done that for you and your community. Ask, and it will be given to you.’
“I said, ‘Our Lord, and pardon us against engulfing, and forgive us against casting, and have mercy upon us against deforming. Thou art our Patron, so help us against the people of the unbelievers.’
“He said, ‘I have done that for you and your community.’”
The Prophet was asked, “What was your recompense on the night that you were taken up?”
He said, “I was given the Opening of the Book and the concluding verses of the Surah of the Cow, and these are among the treasuries of the All-Merciful’s Throne that were given to no prophet before me.”
