The Prophet Muhammad A simple Guide to his Life
The Prophetic Mission
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accepted Islam, they asked the Prophet to explain
the commands of Islam on different matters. When
the Prophet answered their queries, he was actually
training them in law. This task of instruction in
fiqh
continued during the period of the Prophet’s
companions and the companion’s companions. But
it was not until the reign of the Abbasids that all the
material on Islamic jurisprudence was properly
compiled.
The fourth part of the prophetic mission is that
which is described in the Qur’an as instructing in
wisdom.
According to a tradition, the Prophet of Islam said,
“Every verse of the Qur’an has a deeper level as
well as a surface level.”
What is called the deeper level of the Qur’an in this
Hadith
refers to the wisdom enshrined in the verses
of the Qur’an. The wording of a verse or Hadith
tells us only the apparent or superficial meaning.
The deeper meanings are hidden behind the words,
not in the words. These hidden meanings can be
learnt only by deep reflection upon the verses. One
task of the Prophet, therefore, was to initiate proper
