Being Part of the Best Ummah

All Muslims have this blessing, irrespective of their level of Taqwa (God-consciousness) or the burden of their sins. In fact many of us might not have ever thought about it or thanked Allah for it. A blessing gifted to us without us ever asking Him for it. The blessing of being part of the Ummah of the Muhammad (pbuh), the last of all Prophets and the most noble of the descendants of Adam, to whom the last book, the Qur'an was revealed which is a living miracle up-till today. Yes! What a truly priceless blessing it is! 


Allah (swt) says: "You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the People of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient." [3:110]

It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said regarding the saying of Allah, "You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind." : "You are the completion of seventy nations, you are the best of them, and the most honorable of them to Allah." [Jami Tirmidhi; Hasan]

Sulaiman bin Buraidah narrated from his father that the Prophet (pbuh) said: "The people of Paradise are one hundred and twenty rows, eighty from this nation, and forty from all other nations." [Sunan Ibn Majah; Hasan]

It was narrated that Abdullah said. "We were with the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in a
tent, and he said: 'Will it not please you to be one quarter of the people of Paradise?' We said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Will it not please you to be one third of the people of Paradise?' We said. 'Yes.' He said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I hope that you will be half of the people of Paradise. For no one will enter Paradise but a Muslim soul, and among the people of polytheism you are like a white hair on the hide of a black bull, or like a black hair on the hide of a red bull."' [Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Ibn e Majah]

Abu Sa'eed narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "I am the most noble of Adam's descendants, and it is no boast. I will be the first one for whom the earth will split open on the Day of Resurrection, and it is no boast. I will be the first whose intercession will be accepted, and it is no boast. The banner of praise will be in my hand on the Day of Resurrection, and it is no boast." [Sunan Ibn Majah, Jami Tirmidhi; Sahih]

Anas bin Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "I would be the first among people to intercede in the Paradise and amongst the Prophets I would have the largest following (on the Day of Resurrection)." [Sahih Muslim]

Anas bin Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "I would be the first intercessor in the Paradise and no Prophet amongst the Prophets has been testified (by such a large number of people) as I have been testified. And verily there would be a Prophet among the Prophets who would be testified to by only one man from his people." [Sahih Muslim]

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Every Prophet had a prayer that was answered, and every Prophet offered this prayer in this world. But I am saving my prayer so that I can intercede for my nation, and it reaches every one of them who dies not associating anything with Allah." [Sahih Muslim, Sunan Ibn Majah]

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "I was given the choice between intercession and half of my nation being admitted to Paradise, and I chose intercession..." [Sunan Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad; This part of the narration has been declared Sahih by Albani]

'Awf bin Malik al-Ashja'i said: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)  said: "Do you know what choice my Lord gave me this night?" We said: "Allah and his Messenger know best." He said: "He gave me the choice between admitting half of my nation into Paradise and intercession, and I chose intercession." We said: "O Messenger of Allah (pbuh), we pray that we will be among its people (the people for whom you will intercede)." He said: "It is for every Muslim." [Sunan Ibn Majah, Tabarani, Mustadrak Haakim; Sahih]

Anas bin Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "Amongst the Prophets I would have the largest following on the Day of Resurrection, and I would be the first to knock at the door of Paradise." [Sahih Muslim]

Anas bin Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: "I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and would seek its opening, and the keeper will say: Who are you? I will say: Muhammad. He will then say: It is for you that I have been ordered, and not to open it for anyone before you." [Sahih Muslim]

Ibn 'Abbas narrated that Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: "Nations were displayed before me; one or two Prophets would pass by along with a few followers. A Prophet would pass by accompanied by nobody. Then a big crowd of people passed in front of me and I asked, 'Who are they. Are they my followers?'. It was said, 'No. It is Moses and his followers.' It was said to me, 'Look at the horizon.' Behold! There was a multitude of people filling the horizon. Then it was said to me, 'Look there and there about the stretching sky!' Behold! There was a multitude filling the horizon,' It was said to me, 'This is your nation out of whom seventy thousand shall enter Paradise without reckoning....'" [Agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim]

Narrated Ali: The Prophet (pbuh) said: "I have been given four things not given to any Prophet before me; The keys of the (treasures of the) earth have been given to me, I have been named Ahmed, the earth has been made as a means of purification for me (i.e through tayammum), and my nation (Ummah) has been made the best of all nations." [Musnad Ahmed; Hasan]

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: The Prophet (may peace be upon him) said, "I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me.

1. Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey.

2. The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due.

3. The booty (of war) has been made Halal (lawful) for me yet it was not lawful for anyone else before me.

4. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection).

5. Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind. [Sahih Al Bukhari] 

Abdullah bin Amr bin al-'As reported: Verily the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) recited the words of Allah, the Great and Glorious, that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) uttered, "My Lord, indeed they have led astray many among the people. So whoever follows me - then he is of me; and whoever disobeys me - indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful." (al-Qur'an, 14:36) and Jesus (peace be upon him) said: "If You should punish them - indeed they are Your servants; but if You forgive them - indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (al-Qur'an, 5:118). Then he raised his hands and said: 'O Lord, my Ummah, my Ummah', and wept; so Allah the High and the Exalted said: 'O Gabriel, go to Muhammad (though your Lord knows it fully well) and ask him: What makes you weep?' So Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to him and asked him, and the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) informed him what he had said (though Allah knew it fully well). Upon this Allah said: 'O Gabriel, go to Muhammad and say: Verily We will please you with regard to your Ummah and will not displease you". [Sahih Muslim]

Author: Fahad Tahir

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