Is It Permissible To Refer To The Prophet As A Father Of The Believers?

[Abu.Maryam.T]

By Abu Abdullah Hassan Somali

The scholars of Islam discuss this issue when explaining the verse:

النَّبِيُّ أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجُهُ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ
The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers (as regards respect and marriage)..
[Al-Ahzaab: 6]

This issue arises as it can be understood from this noble verse that the Prophet is a father to the believers just as his wives are their mothers.

Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah stated:
“For indeed his wives are only considered to be the mothers of the believers because of him [i.e. due to them being his wives]. So if he is not considered to be like a father, then they are not considered to be like mothers.”
Minhaaj As-Sunnah (8/238)

Ibn Al-Qayyim said:
“Verily the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the father of the believers, and the motherhood of his wives stems from his fatherhood."
Zaad Al-Ma’aad (1/453)

Furthermore, an irregular (Shaadh) recitation of this verse has been transmitted from some of the companions and their successors, and they read it as:
“[The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves and he is a father to them, and his wives are their mothers (as regards respect and marriage).”
Even though this recitation is irregular “the well-known recitation implies this.”

So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the father of the believers in the sense that he nurtures them and directs them to good, to the worship of Allaah, His obedience and remaining steadfast upon His religion.

Shaykh Abdur Rahman As-Sa’dee said:
“He (peace and blessings be upon him) is a father to the believers as is found in the recitation of some of the companions; he nurtures them as a father nurtures his children.”
Tayseer Al-Kareem Ar-Rahmaan (6/98)

Shaykh Muhammad Al-Ameen Ash-Shanqeetee said:
“It is understood from His Saying, ‘And his wives are their mothers’ that he (peace and blessings be upon him) is a father to them. It has been reported upon Ubay Ibn K’ab and Ibn ‘Abbas that they recited, ‘And his wives are their mothers and he is a father to them.’ This fatherhood is a religious fatherhood, and he (peace and blessing be upon him) is more compassionate to his nation than an affectionate father is to his children; and the Mighty and Majestic said:
عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
{It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you and he is full of pity, kind, and merciful.}[At-Tawbah: 128]
Similarly, this fatherhood is not through parentage just as the Most High clarified with His Saying,
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا
{Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.}
[Al-Ahzaab: 40]
This is further supported by the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurairah, which is found in Abu Dawud, An-Nasaa’ee and Ibn Majah, where he said:
“The Messenger of Allah said,
‘My position towards you is like that of a father; I teach you. So when one of you goes to the toilet, then do not face the Qiblah, nor turn your back to it, nor cleanse oneself with the right hand.’ He would order [us] to use three stones and he prohibited using dung and bones.”
[Declared Hasan (sound) by Albani in Saheeh Al-Jaami’ (2/284)]
His saying (peace and blessings be upon him) in this hadeeth, ‘My position towards you is like that of a father’ clarifies the type of fatherhood that has been mentioned as is not hidden.”
Adwaa Al-Bayaan (10/239)

He stated in another place:
“The answer is evident, and it is that the fatherhood that has been affirmed is referring to a religious [fatherhood] and the fatherhood that has been negated is referring to [fatherhood] through parentage.”
Daf’ Iyhaam Al-Idtiraab p. 205

Al-Qurtubee said:
“A group of people [i.e. from amongst the scholars] have stated that it is not allowed to refer to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as a father due to His Saying, the Most High:
مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا
{Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.}
However, it is to be said that he is like a father to the believers as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘My position towards you is like that of a father; I teach you…’(Collected by Abu Dawud)
The correct stance is that it is permissible to say that he is a father to the believers by way of respect and esteem. And His Saying, {Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything} is referring to parentage. Tafseer Al-Qurtubee (14/125)

In summary, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is a father to the believers in a religious sense due to his teachings, advice and direction, and this surpasses fatherhood through parentage as it is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
“None of you truly believe until I am more beloved to him than his parents, children and the whole of mankind.” Bukhari (1/22) and Muslim (1/68)

An-Nawawee stated:
“Can it be said about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he is the father of the believers?
Our colleagues [i.e. the Shaafi’ee jurists] have two positions on this matter. The stronger of the two is that it is allowed. This is the stance expressed by Ash-Shaafi’ee [as is found in Al-Umm] that it can be said that the Prophet is the father of the believers in terms of respect.
And the meaning of the verse, {Muhammad is not the father of any man among you...} is referring to [offspring] from his loins. And Allah knows best.”
Quoted by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd in Mu’jam Al-Manaahiy Al-Lafdhiyyah p. 596

This article, with the exception of a few additional quotes, is based on a chapter found in Shaykh Abdur Razzaaq Al-Abbaad’s book (p. 372 of Al-Jaami’ Lil Buhooth) entitled ‘Reflections upon His Saying, the Most High: “His wives are their mothers.”