Prophethood

Q3 Can't we guide ourselves to find the truth without a prophet

Q5 How do we know that Muhammad was a true prophet?

Q8 Why did a new prophet come at that time?

Q1 What is the nature of prophethood?
God has most graciously provided man with all that he needs in this Universe. Everything essential for his life is provided: air, light, heat, water and so on. Reflection on this disposition of God's gifts also reveals that man's talents have been distributed in a marvelous way. Those capacities that are essential for the general maintenance of human culture have been endowed to most people, while extraordinary talents, which are required only to a limited extent, are given only in a small number. Here we are faced with another question: do people just need specialists in the fields of law and politics, science and mathematics, engineering and mechanics finance and economics and the like? Or do they also need men to show them the right path - the way to God and salvation? There must clearly be someone to tell man the purpose of creation and the meaning of life; what man himself is and why he has been created; who has provided him with all the powers and resources and why; what should be the aims and objectives of a person's life and how they are to be achieved, what are the proper values of life and how they can be attained. Our reason refuses to accept that God, who has provided man with even the smallest of his requirements, would not provide for this greatest and most vital need. It can never be so. And it is not so. While God has produced men of distinction in arts and science, he has also raised men with deep vision, pure intuition and the highest faculties to know and understand Him. To them, He revealed the way of godliness, piety and right-eousness. He gave them the knowledge of the aims of life and values of morality and entrusted them with the duty to communicate Divine Revelation to other human beings. These men are the prophets and Messengers of God.

Q2 Should we obey a prophet?
When it becomes quite clear that a person is a true Prophet of God, the natural dictate of this realization is that his words should be accepted, his instructions followed and his orders obeyed. It is illogical to accept a man as God's true Prophet and yet not to believe in what he says and not to follow what he ordains, for your very acceptance of him as God's prophet means that you have acknowledged that what he says is from God, and that whatever he does is in accordance with God's will and pleasure. Disobedience of him is disobedience of God and disobedience of God leads to ruin.

Q3 Can't we guide ourselves to find the truth without a prophet?
No, this is a wrong view You have probably learnt geometry, and you know that between points there can be only one straight line; all other lines must be crooked or will fail to touch the points in view. The same is the case with the way to truth, which in the language of Islam, is called the Straight Path (al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem). This path begins from man and goes straight up to God, and this path can, by definition, be one and only one; all other paths must be aberrations . This Straight Path has been indicated by the prophets and there can be no straight path besides that.

Q4 Who is the prophet Muhammad?
If we cast a glance at the world atlas, we find that no other country could have been more suitable than Arabia for a much-needed world religion. It is situated right in the middle of Asia and Africa, and Europe is not far away. At the time of Muhannad's (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) appearance central Europe was inhabited by civilized and culturally advanced nations; these people were about the same distance from Arabia as were the people of India . Take also the Arabic language . The more you study its literature, the more you will be convinced that there is no other language more suited to express high ideals, to explain the most subtle aspects of Divine knowledge, and to impress the heart of man and mould it into the submission to God. Small phrases and brief sentences express a whole world of ideas; they are so powerful that their very sound can move men to tears and ecstasy. They are so sweet that it is as if honey were being poured into one's ears; they are so full of harmony that every fibre of the listener's body is moved by their symphony. It was a rich and powerful language, precisely what was needed for the Qur'an - the Great Word of God.

Q5 How do we know that Muhammad was a true prophet?
If one were to close one's eyes and imagine oneself in the world of 1420 years ago, one would find that it was a world completely different from ours. How far and few between were the opportunities for the exchange of ideas! How meagre was man's knowledge! How narrow his outlook! How enveloped was he in superstition and wild ideas! Darkness held sway. There was only a faint glimmer of learning, hardly strong enough to light up the horizons of human knowledge. The store of human knowledge was scanty, man's outlook was narrow, and his ideas of men and things were confined to his limited surroundings. Arab traders travelled great distances, which took them months, carried their wares to and from these countries, but they had little chance to find out anything about them. Their country was without a government. Each tribe considered it self to be an independent sovereign unit. There was no law except the law of the strongest. They knew nothing about the teachings of the prophets of old. In such a dark age and in such a benighted country a man is born. His parents die when he is very young and a few years later the sad demise of his grandfather also occurs. Consequently, he is deprived even of that scant training and upbringing which an Arab child of his time could get. In his boyhood he tends flocks of sheep and goats in the company of Bedouin boys. When he becomes of age he takes to commerce . All his associations and all his dealings are with the Arabs alone, whose condition has just been described . He is completely illiterate and unschooled . He never gets a chance to sit in the company of learned men, for such men were non-existent in Arabia. He is totally different from the people among whom he is born. He passes his youth and early manhood and finally attains his full stature. Even his worst enemies never accuse him of telling a lie. He never uses obscene and abusive language. He has a charming personality and winning manners with which he captivates the hearts of those with whom he comes into contact.In his dealings with people he always follows the principles of justice and fair play. He remains engaged in trade and commerce for years, but he never enters into any dishonest transaction. He helps orphans and widows. He is hospitable to travelers. He harms no one. He stays aloof from the feuds of his tribe.

Q6 How did Muhammad become a prophet?
After spending a great part of his life in such a pure and civilized manner there comes a revolution in his being. He has had enough of the darkness and ignorance around him. He wants to swim clear of the horrible sea of corruption, immorality, idolatry and disorder which surrounds him. He finds society out of harmony with his soul. He withdraws alone to the hills, spending days and nights in total seclusion ad meditation. He fasts so that his soul and his heart may become still purer and nobler. Suddenly, the angel Jebreel brings the prophethood to him, and his heart is illuminated with the Divine light giving him the power he has yearned for. He comes out of the confinement of his cave, goes to the people, and addresses them thus:

"The idols which you worship are a sham. Stop worshipping them from now on. No mortal being, no star, no tree, no stone, no spirit is worthy of human worship. Therefore bow not your heads in worship before them. The entire universe, and everyhting contains, belongs to God Almighty. He alone is the Creater, the Nourisher, the Sustainer and, consequently, the real Soverign before whom all should bow down and to whom all should pray and render obedience. Thus worship Him alone and obey only His commands.

"Look, plunder, murder and rape, injustice and cruelty - all the vices in which you indulge - are crimes in the eyes of God . Leave your evil ways. He hates them all. Speak the truth. Do not kill anyone.

"You are human beings and all human beings are equal in the eyes of God. None is born with the slur of shame on his face; nor has anyone come into the world with the mantle of honour hung around his neck.

"There is an appointed day after your death when you shall have to appear before your Lord. You shall be called to account for all your deeds, good or bad, and then you shall not be able to hide anything. The whole record of your life shall be an open book to Him.

Q7 What did people say about Muhammad?
The ignorant nation turns against him . Abuse and stones are showered on his august person. Every conceivable torture and cruelty is perpetrated on him and this continues not for a day or two but uninterruptedly for thirteen long, troubled years. At last he is exiled but he is not given respite even there. He is tormented in various ways in his place of refuge. The whole of Arabia is incited against him. There, he is persecuted and hounded continuously for full eight years. He suffers all, but does not budge from the stand he has taken. He is resolute, firm and inflexible in his purpose.

Q8 Why did a new prophet came at that time?
There are three conditions which necessitate the advent of a new Prophet and the need to replace a deceased Prophet . These may be summed up as follows:

The teachings of the earlier Prophets have been distorted or corrupted or they have died and their revival is needed.
The teachings of the prophet who has passed away were incomplete and it is necessary to amend them, improve on them or add something to them.
The earlier Prophet was raised for a particular nation or territory and now a Prophet for another nation, people or country is required.

None of the above conditions exist today. The teachings of the last Prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) are alive, have been fully preserved and made immortal. The guidance he has shown unto mankind is complete and flawless, and is enshrined in the Holy Qur'an. All the sources of Islam are fully intact and every instruction or action of the Holy Prophet can be ascertained without the least shadow of doubt. Secondly, God has completed His revealed guidance through the prophet Muhammad (blessings of Allah and peace be upon him) and Islam is a complete religion for mankind. God has said " Today I have perfected your faith (religion) for you, and have completed My bounty upon you". A thorough study of Islam as a complete way of life proves the truth of these Qur'anic words .