36. The four duties of Prophet Muhammad.
In these verses (2:129, 2:151, 3:164, 4:113, 62:2) of the Quran, Allah while mentioning the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad talks about four responsibilities to be shouldered by him. They are:
1.Read out the Quran to people.
2.Teach people righteousness.
3.Teach the scripture and educate the people.
4.Teach people rid ignorance.
We need to pay attention to these four phrases.
Some people at present declare ‘The Quran’ is sufficient and there is no need for explanation of Prophet Muhammad.
If just revealing the Quran from Allah to the people was the end of the duty of Prophet Muhammad, Allah would not have mentioned the four phrases in the Quran. He could have stopped with the phrase ‘he (i.e.) Prophet Muhammad will read out the verses to them’ where people’s mother tongue is Arabic at that time would have understood the same.
But Allah says ‘he will read out the verses and teach the scripture to them, a double task about the Quran handed over to the Prophet.
We come to understand that reading out means reciting.
What does “to teach the scripture” mean?
It cannot mean to ‘teach reading’ because the Prophet could not read himself, Allah says so in the Quran.
“You were unable to read any other scripture before this. Neither could you write those with your right hand.” (Al Quran-29:48)
In case we assume Prophet Muhammad knows to read, it could be taken as teaching a language and not the Quran.
We do not need a Prophet to teach a language. Anyone conversant with the language is more than enough to do the job. So, the meaning of the phrase ‘Teach the people the scripture’ is, the Prophet will explain the Quran with words and deeds.
When we come to believe that Prophet Muhammad was sent to explain the Quran, means to accept and practice the same, in our life.
Hence, like the Quran being read out by Prophet Muhammad as the norms for a way of life, so is the guidance given by him is the message conveyed in these phrases. To understand the Quran flawlessly and fully, the explanations of Prophet Muhammad is imperative. This is the underlying message from these phrases of the verses of the Quran.
Allah says the Prophet will teach the scripture and educate the people.
And not stopping at it, He (Allah) says the prophet will educate the people about their ignorance and cleanse them to righteousness.
When some people argue that the Quran is sufficient and the prophet’s explanation is not needed, they are contradicting all these phrases from the verses of the Quran, which asserts the need of Prophet Muhammad’s explanations.
Thus, the people who say only the Quran is enough, are refuting the Quran itself.
To know more about implementing the commandments in the Quran and the guidance of Prophet Muhammad please refer points18, 39, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 67, 72, 105, 125, 127, 128, 132, 154, 164, 184, 244, 255, 256, 258, 286, 318, 350, 352, 358, 430.
