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800	I have viewed numerous verses from the Quran that explicitly states the Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is a witness for all generations and this is my firm belief. Recently though I came across a verse that seems to be in direct contrast to this belief. The verse is the following, "You were not there on the western slopes (of the mountain) where we gave Musa the commandments! You were not a witness" (28:44). Please explain.
	The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is a witness (Shaahid and Shaheed) for his people is proven from the Quran and Sunnah. Allah states ‘O Prophet! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner.’ (33:45) In a Hadith recorded by Imam Bukhari the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘I am a witness upon you.’ (Sahih al-Bukhari; Chapter, the prayer upon the martyr; Hadith no. 1258) In the verse you have quoted, Allah is merely stating that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was not physically there in person. It does not mean he is not a witness unequivocally. In the meaning of Shaheed, Allama Qastalani (d. 923 A.H.) writes, ‘[It means] ‘I am a witness over your actions.’ Thus it is as if he still remains with his followers. He has not preceded ahead of them but rather remains with them to the extent he witnesses the actions of the last of his followers. Thus the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is overlooking their matter in both worlds; during his life and after his life. And it is in the Hadith of Ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) recorded by [Imam] al-Bazzar, with a fair chain that the Prophet said, ‘My living is good for you and my dying is good for you. Your actions are presented to me. Thus whatever I see from good [actions], I praise Allah for it. And whatever I see from sin, I seek forgiveness from Allah for you.’ In other words, the Prophet’s rank as Shaheed is equal during and after his lifetime. (Answered by: Alims at Islamic Centre, Leicester, UK.)
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