And Muhammad Is His Messenger: The Veneration of the Prophet in Islamic Piety

443 Pages·1985·4.93 MB·English

by  Annemarie Schimmel

AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS MESSENGER
STUDIES IN RELIGION
Charles H. Long, Editor
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Editorial Board
Giles B. Gunn
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Van A. Harvey
Stanford University
Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty
The University of Chicago
Ninian Smart
University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Lancaster
AND MUHAMMAD IS
HIS MESSENGER
THE VENERATION OF
THE PROPHET IN ISLAMIC PIETY
ANNEMARIE SCHIMMEL
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
CHAPEL HILLAND LONDON
© 1985 The University of North Carolina Press
All rights reserved
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production
Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Schimmel, Annemarie.
And Muhammad is his messenger.
(Studies in religion)
Translation of: und Muhammad ist sein Prophet.
Bibliography: p.
Includes indexes.
1. Islamic poetry—History and criticism. 2. Muhammad, d. 632, in literature. 3. Muhammad, d. 632—
Cult.
I. Title. II. Series: Studies in religion
(Chapel Hill, N.C.)
PJ827.S3313 1985 809.1’9351 84-17374
ISBN-13: 978-0-8078-1639-4
ISBN-10: 0-8078-1639-6
ISBN-13: 978-0-8078-4128-0 (pbk.)
ISBN-10: 0-8078-4128-5 (pbk.)
Designed by Naomi P. Slifkin
The original German edition of Und Muhammad Ist Sein Prophet by Annemarie Schimmel was published
in 1981 by Eugen Diederichs Verlag, Dusseldorf/Köln.
The calligraphic motif at the opening of each chapter, which reads “Muhammad is the Messenger of God,”
is a modern rendition, by Wasmaa Chorbachi, from a manuscript (40.164.2a) in the Metropolitan Museum,
New York.
paper 10 09 08 07 06 10 9 8 7 6
Be I infidel or true believer—
God alone knows, what I am!
But I know: I am the Prophet’s servant,
Who Medina’s ruler is.
Sir Kishan Prasad Shad
Hindu Prime Minister of Hyderabad State
CONTENTS
Illustrations
Preface
Introduction
1. Biographical and Hagiographical Notes
2. Muhammad the Beautiful Model
The Shamā’il and Dala’il Literature
The Prophet’s Physical Beauty
The Prophet’s Spiritual Beauty
3. Muhammad’s Unique Position
4. Legends and Miracles
5. Muhammad the Intercessor, and the Blessings upon Him
6. The Names of the Prophet
7. The Light of Muhammad and the Mystical Tradition
8. The Celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday
9. The Prophet’s Night Journey and Ascension
10. Poetry in Honor of the Prophet
The Arabic Tradition
The Poets’ Longing for Medina
Naʽtiyya Poetry in the Persianate and Popular Tradition
11. The “Muhammadan Path” and the New Interpretation of the Prophet’s Life
12. The Prophet Muhammad in Muhammad Iqbal’s Work
Appendix: The Noble Names of the Prophet
Abbreviations
Notes
Bibliography
Index of Koranic Quotations
Index of Prophetic Traditions
Index of Proper Names
Index of Technical Terms and Concepts
ILLUSTRATIONS
Koran Sura 33:45, calligraphy by the Ottoman sultan Mahmud II, ca. 1830 15
The ḥilya of the Prophet, in nastaʽlīq script by the Turkish caligrapher
Yesarizade Mustafa Izzat, 1830 37
The ḥilya of the Prophet, in traditional Turkish naksh calligraphy by Ahmet
Kâmil Efendi, for his graduation as calligrapher, 1882 38
The sandal of the Prophet, from the Dhakhīra of the Sharqawa 41
Twofold Muhammad, Turkey, eighteenth century 57
“Muhammad is the Messenger of God,” Turkish wall painting, nineteenth
century 69
The so-called Seal of Prophethood, as given in the Jawāhir al-auliyā 92
“May God bless the unlettered Prophet,” tughrā calligraphy 95
“Muhammad is the Messenger of God—may God bless him and give him
peace!” by the Turkish calligrapher Nasih Efendi, 1852 97
The “Muhammadan Rose,” containing the Ninety-nine Names of the Prophet
and the Ninety-nine Names of God 111
Decorative motifs using the Prophet’s name: Muhammad, contemporary linear
motifs; twofold Muhammad in contemporary Kufi; fourfold Muhammad,
tilework pattern 119
Decorative motifs using the Prophet’s name: eightfold Muhammad; eightfold
Muhammad with eightfold ʽAli; “Muhammad is the Messenger of God,” in
tughrā style 120
Poem in praise of the Prophet, “the light whose shadow the things are,” by
Fakhruddin Iraqi, Eastern Iran, ca. 1500 136
Buraq, painted on the back of a Pakistani tanker truck 173
End of a manuscript of Busiri’s Burda, by Aibek ibn Abdallah as-Saifi, Egypt,
1346 182
Page from an enlargement (takhmīs) of Busiri’s Burda, Egypt, fifteenth century
184
Urdu verse of Sir Kishan Prasad Shad, in honor of Muhammad, the “Prince of
Medina” 193