The ‘Excellent Exemplar’

Executive Summary

Many accolades have been conferred upon the Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him).  Where as previous Prophets were sent to their own respective nations, he (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent as a mercy to all of mankind.  He (peace and blessings be upon him) was the last and final messenger, the seal of all Prophethood.  In the final revelation that he (peace and blessings be upon him) has brought, we learn that he was granted things that no previous Prophet was.

In chapter thirty-three of the glorious Qur’ān we are told that the Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the ‘excellent exemplar’, the ‘uswatun ḥasana.’

But what are the precise details that relate to holding this designated title?  Does this differ in any way to the title that was also given to the Prophet Ibrāhim (peace be upon him)?  It is known that the Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook certain acts that were unique to him as a Prophet; how does this relate to him being the ‘uswatun ḥasana?’

To address these questions and examine this topic, which is of the highest importance, we have translated chapter 7 from Part 2 (The Nature of Revelation and the Revealed ‘Dhikr) of Kitāb at-Tawḥeed: A’sās al-Islām wa Ḥaqeeqat-at-Tawḥeed, by Professor Muḥammad bin Abdallah al-Mas’ari.

In this chapter, Professor al-Mas’ari addresses these questions and provides a lucid analysis of what is precisely meant by the designation of being the ‘uswatun ḥasana’.