The elevated status of the Prophet ﷺ

There is no doubt in Allah’s عز و جل love for the Prophet (ﷺ) and his elevated status. There are many Ayat in the Quran which are a testimony to his fact:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا

Allah sends His Salat (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and also His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salat on (ask Allah to bless) him (Muhammad SAW), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islamic way of greeting (salutation i.e. AsSalamu ‘Alaikum). 33:56

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ

And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). 21:107

وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ

And raised high your fame? 94:4

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ

And verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are on an exalted standard of character. 68:4

There is also no doubt in the great status of Jibreel عليه السلام who Allah عز و جل entrusted with delivering the message to every messenger.

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى الْكِتَابَ وَقَفَّيْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ بِالرُّسُلِ ۖ وَآتَيْنَا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَيَّدْنَاهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ۗ أَفَكُلَّمَا جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ بِمَا لَا تَهْوَىٰ أَنْفُسُكُمُ اسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ فَفَرِيقًا كَذَّبْتُمْ وَفَرِيقًا تَقْتُلُونَ

And indeed, We gave Musa (Moses) the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers. And We gave ‘Iesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), clear signs and supported him with Ruh-ul-Qudus [Jibrael (Gabriel)]. Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant? Some, you disbelieved and some, you killed. 2:87

وَإِنَّهُ لَتَنْزِيلُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

And truly, this (the Quran) is a revelation from the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists), 26:192

نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ

Which the trustworthy Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] has brought down; 26:193

When Allah عز و جل takes an Oath is signifies great importance:

Suyūtī (d: 1505 AD.) رحمه الله describes it in similar terms: al-qasdu bi’l-qasami tahaqiqu’l-khabari wa tawkiduhu (The purpose of an oath is to confirm a statement and place emphasis upon it). In other words, the muqsam bihi (object of oath) serves to emphasise the point made in the muqsam `alayh (complement of oath). [Jalāl al-Dīn al Suyūtī -Al-Itqān fī `Ulūm al-Qur’an]

According to Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1356 CE), رحمه الله oaths taken by Allah have only one base and that is the ‘attributes of Allah’. When Allah takes the oath of ‘the star when it descends’ or of ‘Al-Tariq (the Knocker)’ or any other creation of His, the base behind them is the greatness of Allah. Therefore it is evident that when Allah takes an oath of something, He does so of His own greatness.

Verily Allah عز و جل took multiple oaths when mentioning Jibreel عليه السلام and Mohammed (ﷺ):

When mentioning Jibreel عليه السلام :

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ

So verily, I swear by the planets that recede (i.e. disappear during the day and appear during the night). 81:15

الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ

And by the planets that move swiftly and hide themselves, 81:16

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

And by the night as it departs; 81:17

وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

And by the dawn as it brightens; 81:18

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

Verily, this is the Word (this Quran brought by) a most honourable messenger [Jibrael (Gabriel), from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)]. 81:19

and the greatness of his true form

‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him,   said: “The Messenger of Allah  saw Jibreel in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which filled the horizon, and there were multi-coloured pearls and rubies falling from his wings.” [Ahmad]

But when mentioning Mohammed (ﷺ) , He عز و جل swore by everything we know and by everything we do not know (i.e.from the Al-ghaib)!

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِمَا تُبْصِرُونَ

So I swear by whatsoever you see, 69:38

وَمَا لَا تُبْصِرُونَ

And by whatsoever you see not, 69:39

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

That this is verily the word of an honoured Messenger [i.e. Muhammad which he has brought from Allah]. 69:40