The grandeur of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in Qiyamah

There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari wherein it is given that in Qiyamah, a person who had embezzled the war booty will appeal to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) will give him the stock reply:  I cannot do anything for you.

 

On the face of it, this Hadith is telling us that in Qiyamah, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) has no authority, otherwise why would He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) say so.

 

In the commentary of this Hadith, Imam Badruddin ‘Aini (May Allah shower His mercy on him) writes:

 

Translation: This utterance of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is to show His extreme anger, otherwise it is the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) who is the intercessor of the Ummah for their sins.  (Umdatul Qari, Vol. 5, Pg. No. 7)

 

In Sahih Bukhari, Kitab ut Tafseer, there is a Hadith on the authority of Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be well pleased with him) about the "Shafa’at e Kubra".

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

 

Translation: On the day of Judgment, I am the leader of all humankind.  Do you know why? All those who have gone and all those who will come will be gathered on one piece of land.  Everybody will hear the voice of one announcer, they will be visible to all and the sun will be near to them.  In that state, the people will be distressed and sorrowful beyond their capacity and they will not be able to bear it.  People will tell each other: Do you not see how distressed we are? Don't you see? Who will intercede before your Lord for you? They will tell each other: You go to Hadhrat Adam (May peace be upon him).

 

Then they will call upon Hadhrat Adam (May peace be upon him) and entreat: You are the father of all men.  Allah Ta'ala created you with His own Hand of Power and blew His spirit in you.  On His order, the angels prostrated to you.  Will you intercede before your Lord for us? Don't you see in what trouble we are in? Don't you see the distress we are in? Hadhrat Adam (May peace be upon him) will say: Today my Lord is extremely angry.  Never before this, he was in such anger and never after this, will he be in such anger.  He had prohibited me from the tree.  I could not stop myself from it.  I am worried about myself, I am worried about myself, I am worried about myself.  Go to someone else.  Go to Nuh (May peace be upon him).

 

People will call upon Hadhrat Nuh (May peace be upon him) and entreat him thus: O Nuh, undoubtedly, you were one of the first sent to the dwellers of the earth and Allah Ta'ala has named you as His thankful slave.  You please intercede for us before your Lord.  Don't you see the distress we are in? He will say: Undoubtedly, today my Lord is in such anger that He was never so angry before this and will never be so angry after this.  I was given a special prayer, which I used against my people.  I am worried about myself, about my self, about my self.  You go to someone else.  Go to Ibrahim (May peace be upon him).

 

Then the people will call upon Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) and entreat thus, O Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) you are a Prophet and the Lord's Khaleel (friend) from among the people of the earth.  You intercede for us before your Lord.  Don't you see in what distress we are in? Ibrahim (May peace be upon him) will answer: Verily, my Lord is in such anger today that He was never so angry before and will never be so angry after this.  Thrice I have uttered things which were not so.  (Abu Hayan has mentioned all these things in his narration) I am worried about myself, about myself, about myself, about myself.  Go to someone else.  Go to Hadhrat Moosa (May peace be upon him).

 

Then they will go to Hadhrat Moosa (May peace be upon him) and say, O Moosa (May peace be upon him), you are a Prophet of Allah.  Allah Ta'ala has distinguished you from others by granting you Prophethood and by talking to you.  Intercede for us before your Lord.  Don't you see the distress we are in? Hadhrat Moosa (May peace be upon him) will say:  My Lord is in such anger today that He was never in such anger before this nor will be in such anger after this.  I killed a person without having the permission to do so.  I am worried about myself, about myself, about myself.  Go to someone else, go to ‘Isa (May peace be upon him)."

 

Then they will call upon Hadhrat ‘Isa (May peace be upon him) and say: O ‘Isa (May peace be upon him), you are a Prophet of Allah and, His Word and His spirit (Ruh Ul Allah).  You conversed with people from your crib.  Please intercede for us before your Lord." Prophet E'isa (May peace be upon him) will say: Verily, my Lord is in such anger today, that He was never so angry before this, nor will be in such an anger after this.  (He will not mention any slip on his part) I am worried about myself, about myself, about myself.  Go to somebody else.  Go to some other person.  Go to Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).

 

They will go to Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and entreat: O Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) (Lit. Personification of all praise and extolment), you are the Prophet of Allah Ta'ala and the Seal of all Prophets.  The Lord has protected your innocence.  Please intercede for us before your Lord.  You are seeing in what distress we are.

 

Then I will move from there and prostrate before the ‘Arsh.  Then Allah Ta'ala will reveal His Best praise and extolment to me, that will not have been revealed to anyone before me.  Then it will be said, O Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), raise Your head.  Ask and you will be given.  Intercede and your intercession will be accepted.  Then I will raise my head and say: O Lord, I am worried about my Ummah, about my Ummah, about my Ummah.  It will be said: O Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), take those from your Ummah who do not have to account for their actions and send them into Jannah from the right door.  They can use other doors also.

 

Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  By Him who holds my life in His hand, the distance between the two bolts of the doors of Jannah will be like the distance between Makkah and Humair or He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: like the distance between Makkah and Basra. (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 2, Kitab Ut Tafseer, Pg.  No. 684)

 

Imam Ahmed bin Muhammad Qustulani (May Allah Ta’ala shower His mercy on him) writes in the explanation of "I am the leader of all men on the day of judgment":

 

Translation: The special mention of Qiyamah reinforces the leadership of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in this material world all the more.  The Holy Prophet's (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) prohibition, not to consider Him better or greater than other Prophets is His humility.  (Irshad Us Saari, Vol. 7, Pg. No. 229)