In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Gracious

As-Salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu

ISLAMIC

RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CENTRE

The Concept of Prophethood

Allah created man and all that man needs to survive and grow. Allah provided man with both physical and mental capabilities and faculties that man requires in his struggle for life. Allah provided man with sustenance, powers, resources and all other things that are essential for his life. After that, to tell man the purpose of creation and the meaning of life itself, what man himself is and why he has been created, Who has created him and provided him with all that he needs, what are the proper ends of life and how are they to be achieved, what are the proper values of life and how they can be attained: more lucidly, to inform man about his Creator, Sustainer, Master and God, about his duties unto his Creator, Sustainer, Master and God, about the right way of discharging the duties, about the rights and privileges of people on him, about his responsibilities unto his parents, family, relatives and others, about the losses he will suffer from if he does not discharge his duties and responsibilities, and about the benefits he will get if he discharges the same: in terse, to show the right way of living in all walks of life, Allah raised Prophets and Messengers, at time to time, among mankind. Allah appointed the very first man Adam as His Prophet, revealed His Message to him, told him to convey the Message to his descendents, so that they may live righteous life in accordance with the God’s Laws, and told him to inform that if they follow the God’s Guidance, they will be blessed; and if they do not, they will suffer both in this world and the Hereafter.

Those of Adam’s descendents who were of good disposition followed the right Path and pleased the God, but those who were of bad disposition abandoned the right Path, followed their own desires and fancies and brought the Wrath of Allah on themselves.

As some time passed, after the death of Adam, the latter generation of his followers also ignored the Teachings given by him. Some of the authoritative people among them interpolated and corrupted the Teachings for their personal gains and moulded the same according to their desires and facilities.

When most of the Teachings were corrupted and interpolated, Allah again raised a man as His Messenger among them.  Allah sent His Message to him through angel Gabriel, so that the Messenger of Allah may convey the Message to mankind.

Again the same history was repeated. Those, whose disposition and nature were good, accepted and followed both the Messenger and the Message of Allah. And those whose disposition and nature was bad, denied both the Messenger and the Message of Allah, continued to follow their own desires and fancies, created their own gods having left Allah, the true God, fabricated their own system of irrational beliefs, rites, rituals, cults, customs and traditions, and fabricated unsuitable and harmful code and conduct of living without the proper knowledge of meaning, values and demands of life, nature, position and obligations of man and woman, purpose, necessity and nature of moral values, qualities, limitations and weaknesses of man and woman, nature of mundane affairs and relations et cetera.

Thus innumerable gods and numerous religions that are based on superstitions, myths, hearsay, irrational beliefs, fairy tales, ignorance, injustice, falsehood, desires and fancies, were fabricated.

The Messenger of Allah used to tell people that there is no God but Allah, Allah alone has created you and all other things, Allah alone provides you and other things with sustenance, He alone handles and maintains all things and all affairs, all things are dependent on Him and He is Independent of all, Allah alone is the Sovereign and Lord of the universe, so He alone must be worshipped and invoked.

The Messenger of Allah used to tell people that there is none equal to Allah, He is Unique and Inimitable in His Being, Attributes, Status and Powers, He has neither wife nor son, nor parents and nor relatives, He was not born, nor will He die, He is Absolute, He is Free of all defects and weaknesses, there is none like Him, so do not ascribe the characteristics of creations towards Him and don’t associate anything with Him.

The Messenger of Allah told people that Allah created you, so He knows all past, all present, all future and all about you, He knows what is good and what is bad for you, He knows what is right and what is wrong for you, He knows what is beneficial and what is harmful to you, so He has sent Guidance to you through his Messenger to be followed, if you follow His Guidance, you will be blessed both here and in Hereafter; if you reject His Guidance, you will suffer both here and Hereafter.

The Messenger of Allah told people that this life and its luxuries are temporary, they are but a test for us, one day we will die and return to our Lord, there our Lord will take account of our deeds and of the sustenance that He has provided us with, if we follow His Guidance here, He will provide us with a peaceful and prosperous life there; if we reject faith in Him and in His Guidance, He will punish us severely, so live a responsible, realistic and practical life.

Thus Allah used to raise men as His Prophets to convey His Guidance to mankind. The Prophets used to convey Allah’s Guidance to mankind. Some people used to follow the Prophets, but most people used to reject them.

No sooner did the Prophets die, the latter generations of their own followers used to ignore the God’s Guidance, and learned men of them used to corrupt, interpolate and mould the Guidance according to their desires, facilities and personal gains.

No sooner did the corrupt men corrupt and interpolate Allah’s Guidance, Allah used to raise His Prophets among mankind. Thus the chain of Prophets and Messengers continued. In this auspicious chain of Prophets, there were Noah, Swaaleh, Ibraaheem (Abraham), Ya‘qhoob (Jacob), Da-ood (David), Moosa (Moses), ‘Eesa (Jesus) (Peace be upon them) et cetera. When the same history was repeated with all the Prophets, Finally Allah raised Muhammed (Mercy of Allah and Peace be upon him) as His last and final Prophet and Messenger, took the responsibility of the safety of His Guidance in His Own Hand, and sealed the chain of Prophets and Messengers. Allah says: -

“It is We Who have sent down the Guidance (the Quraan), and will ourselves preserve it.” (15: 9)

The world knows and none can deny that the Quraan is as safe and intact even today after fourteen centuries as it was in the Period of Prophet Muhammed. The Holy Quraan - the Holy Book of mankind - exists in its original text, without a word, syllable or even letter having been changed. Moreover, the entire account of Prophet Muhammed’s life - his sayings and deeds - is preserved with complete accuracy in the books like Saheeh Bukahri and Saheeh Muslim. So there is no need of any new Prophet. The Holy Quraan declares:

“Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets.” (33: 40)

The need is to study Allah’s Guidance (Islam) and Implement it in both our individual and social life.

The above-mentioned details manifests that Muhammed had not founded any new religion. He, in fact, taught people the same Religion that had been preached by all the past Messengers of Allah. The Holy Quraan bears witness over it:

1)      “The same Religion He (Allah) has established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah – which We have sent by inspiration to you – and that which We enjoined on Ibraaheem, Moosa, and ‘Eesa, so that you should establish the Religion and make no divisions therein.” (42: 13)

2)      “Say you (O Muhammed!): ‘We believe in Allah and the Revelation given to us and to Ibraaheem, Isma‘eel, Is-haaque, Ya’qhoob and the Tribes, and that given to Moosa and ‘Eesa, and that given to (all other) Prophets from their Lord. We make no difference between one and another of them and we submit to Allah.’ If they (people) believe as you believe, they are indeed on the right Path; but if they turn back, it is they who are in schism; but Allah will suffice you as against them, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (2: 136, 137)

3)      “(O Muhammed!) Nothing is said to you that was not said to the Messengers before you.” (41: 43)

4)      “To you (O Muhammed!) We sent the Scripture with Truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and guarding it in safety. So judge among them by what Allah has revealed and follow not their desires, diverging the Truth that has come to you.” (5: 48)

All these Verses of the Holy Quraan clearly manifest that Muhammed is not the founder of Islam, but he is the final Messenger of Islam.

To know the status of Allah’s Messenger, let us have a glance over some of the Verses of the Holy Quraan. The Holy Quraan says:

1)      “Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, purifying them and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error.” (3: 164)

2)      “He (Allah’s Messenger) does not say (aught) of (his own) desire. It is an Inspiration that is sent.” (53: 3, 4)

3)      “You have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent Exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the Final Day, and who remember Allah much.” (33: 21)

4)      “O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those charged with authority among you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, consult Allah and His Messenger about it if you do believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is best and most suitable for final determination.” (4: 59)

5)      “We sent not a Messenger, but to be obeyed in accordance with the leave of Allah,” (4: 64)

6)      “He who obeys the Messenger obeys Allah.” (4: 80)

7)      “Say: ‘obey Allah and obey the Messenger. But if you turn away, he (the Messenger) is only responsible for the duty placed on him, and you for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on right Guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to preach the Clear (Message).’” (24: 54)

8)      “Say: ‘O men! I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah to Whom belongs the Dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no God but He: it is He Who gives life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His Words. Follow him that you may be rightly guided.” (7: 158)

9)      “Say: ‘If you do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sin, for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Merciful.’” (3: 31)

10)  “When a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, It is not suitable for a believer, be man or woman, to seek any other option about the decision. If anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.” (33: 36)

11)  “The answer of the believers, when summoned to Allah and His Messenger in order that he (the Messenger) may judge between them, is no other than this: they say, ‘We hear and we obey.’ It is such as these that will prosper.” (24: 51)

12)  “But no! By your Lord! They can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammed!) judge in all disputes among them and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.”   (4: 65)

13)  “Deem not the summons of the Messenger among yourselves like the summons of one of you to another. Allah does know those of you who slip away under shelter of some excuse. Then let those beware who withstand the Messenger’s order, lest some trial befall them or a grievous chastisement be inflicted on them.” (24: 63)

14)  “So take what the Messenger gives you and refrain from what he prohibits you.” (59: 7)

15)  “He who obeys Allah and His Messenger and fears Allah and does right, will triumph.” (24: 52)

16)  “Those who oppose Allah and His Messenger will be among those who are the most humiliated.” (58: 20)

17)  “Those are limits set by Allah. Those who obey Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to gardens with rivers flowing beneath, to abide therein forever and that will be the supreme achievement; but those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a fire, to abide therein forever and they shall have a humiliating punishment.” (4: 13, 14)

  Allah’s Messenger said:

1)      “By Him in Whose Hands my life is, none of you will have Faith till he loves me more than his father and his children and all mankind.” (Saheeh Bukhari)

2) “The one who diverts from my way (Sunnah), does not belong to me.” (Saheeh Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim)

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © NOORUL HUSSAIN K. 2004