PROPHET MUHAMMAD AND PAST PROPHETS

It was revealed that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) became a prophet at the age of 40, bringing certain commands and prohibitions with the revelation of the Qur'an. This is called the "bi'sa" (the beginning of the Prophethood). 

Likewise, prophets had come before him to proclaim and convey the divine will to people. All of them conveyed the same belief, although their acts of worship were different. 

So, did the Prophet Muhammad follow the religion of previous prophets before him? Scholars have pondered deeply and differed on this issue.

According to hadiths, around 124,000 prophets came, and 313 of them, known as "rasuls," brought independent Shari'ahs. The others invited people to the Shari'ah of another rasul. Shari'ah means religion.

First View – Continuation

Most scholars say that he followed the Shari'ahs of previous prophets before the Qur'an. This view is held by most Hanafis and Shafi'is, as well as Hanbalis and some Malikis. 

For instance, the Prophet Muhammad would perform two rak'ahs of prayer in the morning and before sunset and would perform ablution, saying, "This is my ablution and the ablution of the prophets before me and Abraham (Ibrahim)."

During the first revelation, the archangel Jibril (Gabriel) taught ablution and prayer to the Prophet Muhammad. Ibn al-Athir says that the Prophet Muhammad would pray during the forenoon in front of everyone in the Haram because this prayer was also part of the Quraysh belief.

He would perform Hajj and Umrah. He would circumambulate and honor the Kaaba. He would give alms. He would eat meat but not carrion. All these acts are not something one would do just by reason alone without following a Shari'ah.

A matter is considered to continue in its previous state unless there is evidence of change. This is called "istishab" (presumption of continuity). According to this, the Shari'ahs brought by the prophets remain valid unless known to be abrogated, as Allah is pleased with them and will remain pleased with them until the Day of Judgment.

Which Prophet?

Among those who hold the first view, there is disagreement about which prophet's Shari'ah he followed. Some say it was Adam, Noah (Nuh), Abraham, Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa) or all of them, or any of them unknown to us.

Those who say he followed Abraham's Shari'ah argue that Muhammad descended from him, and his Shari'ah was prevalent in Arabia before the bi'sa. His ancestors, parents, and uncle followed this Shari'ah. Several verses command adherence to Abraham's religion. Prophets were always sent to their own people. The Prophet Muhammad was also from the lineage of Abraham and held the belief in monotheism like him.

Those who say he followed Moses' Shari'ah argue that some verses indicate this Shari'ah was known in Arabia at the time and was the most comprehensive and familiar to the Prophet Muhammad.

Those who say he followed Jesus' Shari'ah point out that he was the closest prophet to Muhammad and that his Shari'ah remained until the revelation of the Qur'an.

Second View - He Belonged to No Nation

Some Hanafis and Shafi'is hold that the Prophet Muhammad did not follow the rulings of past Shari'ahs before his prophethood. 

According to this, he performed acts known from past Shari'ahs, like circumambulating the Kaaba and not eating carrion, for their benefits, or as blessings, or because he found them good by reason. 

The time before the bi'sa was a period of "fatrat" (interregnum). There is no information that the rules of past Shari'ahs reached him. The period between the disappearance of a divine religion and the sending of another prophet is called the period of fatrat. People living during such times are not held accountable for religious commands.

The period between the two prophets, namely Jesus and Muhammad, was such a period. The Shari'ah of Jesus was forgotten. Prophets are generally sent when Shari'ahs are forgotten. Thus, it is not possible for the Prophet Muhammad to follow previous Shari'ahs. For there can be no mention of a religion's rules without a prophet.

No True Religion Remained

The state of the Prophet Muhammad before the bi'sa is known. No narration from him on this subject has reached us. If such a thing existed, adherents of these religions would have proudly mentioned that he followed their religion before the bi'sa. This is not the case.

The Prophet Muhammad's parents, grandparents, and uncle were believers in the religion of Abraham. They worshipped based on some knowledge that reached them from this religion. They were neither Jews nor Christians, even though Moses and Jesus came later, and because these religions had not been properly conveyed in Arabia. If the rulings of a religion are not properly conveyed, it is clear that these rules do not bind people. According to al-Maturidi, in such times, people are responsible only for faith, not for worship and religious decrees.

He Was Already a Prophet

According to books of Aqeedah (creed) and Hadith, Muhammad was a prophet since his creation. He did not become a prophet at the age of forty; it was only revealed to him at that time. Therefore, following another prophet's Shari'ah before the bi'sa is contrary to the characteristics of prophethood. This is the chosen view of the Hanafi school, as stated by al-Sarakhsi, al-Bazdawi, Ibn al-Humam, and Ibn Abidin.

According to the Maliki scholar Qadi Iyad, the great Shafi'i scholar Abu Bakr Bakillani says that knowing whether the Prophet Muhammad followed past Shari'ahs is based on narration. If he did, it would have been conveyed to us and could not have been hidden. Qadi Iyad states that this is the most clear and acceptable view.

Third View - Tawaqquf is Necessary

The third view, held by Shafi'i scholars including al-Amidi, Imam al-Ghazali, Qadi Abd al-Jabbar, Imam al-Haramayn, al-Qushayri, al-Nawawi, al-Mazari, and al-Mawardi, prefers tawaqquf (pause from passing a ruling) on this issue.

They argue that it is not possible to reach a definitive conclusion about whether the Prophet worshipped according to past Shari'ahs before the bi'sa, as there is no positive or negative evidence on this matter.