The Foundations And Concepts of Islam

Further, the dweller of the earth’s need for the Message is not like their need for sun, moon, air and rain, and it is also not like their need for their own souls or like the need of the eye for the light; or like that of the body for food and drink. Rather the need for the Messenger is greater than all that and all other things one could think of or assume. The Messengers are the intermediary between Allaah and His creatures as far as His commandment and prohibitions are concerned; they are the envoys between Him and His slaves. The last of them, their leader and the dearest of them to Allaah is Muhammad. Allaah sent him as mercy for mankind and all that exists. He makes him a proof for the followers of the right path and a proof against all creatures. He commanded His slaves to follow, love, respect and honour him, and to give him all obligations due to him. Allaah took covenants and pledges from all other Prophets and Messengers that they would believe in and follow him (if they were to meet him or hear of him) and He also ordered them to take the same covenant from their believing followers. Allaah sent him at the threshold of the Hour. With him, He guided many from error, rescued many from ignorance, and opened through his Message blind eyes, deaf ears and sealed hearts. He lightened the earth through his message, after it had been in darkness and united with it the separated hearts. He straightened with the Messenger the crooked faith and explained through him the bright path. Allaah opened for him his heart, removed from him his burden, raised high his fame and subjected those who were against him to humiliation and disgrace. He sent him after a break in the succession of the sent Messengers and extermination of the impacts of the previously revealed Books; when words had been twisted and the law altered, when every nation relied on injustice in their opinions, made decisions regarding Allaah and between His slaves with their own corrupt sayings and desires. It was then that Allaah guided mankind through him and showed them the right way, He brought people from darkness to light through him and made distinction with him, between those who deserve success and those who were sinners. Whoever follows his guidance will be rightly guided and whoever deviates from His Path will go astray and such has only oppressed himself. May Allaah bestow peace and blessings on him and all other Messengers and Prophets.[138]

We can now summarise man’s need for the message in the following points:

1.               That man is a nurtured creature and it is inevitable for him to know his Lord and Creator; to know what He wants from him and why He created him. Man cannot however know all that independently except by knowing the Prophets and the Messengers and knowing the guidance and light which they brought.

2.               Man is a component of body and soul. The nutrition for body is whatever is available of food and drink, but the nutrition of the soul has been prescribed by the One Who created it; that nutrition is true religion and righteous deed. So it is the Prophets and Messengers who brought true religion and guided to righteous deed.

3.               Man is religious by nature and he must have a religion which he must practice and this religion must be the true one. So, there is no way to know the true religion except through belief in the Prophets and Messengers and to believe in all that they brought.

4.               Man is in need of knowing the way that can lead him to the pleasure of Allaah in this world and to His Paradise and bliss in the Hereafter. And no one can guide to this way except the Prophets and Messengers alone.

5.               Man is in himself weak and many enemies lay in wait for him: Satan wants to mislead him, evil companions make bad things fair-seeming to him and his base self incites him to do evil. Hence, he needs what can protect him against the evil plans of his enemies and it is the Prophets and Messengers who guided man to that and clearly explained it to him.

6.               Man is civil by nature, his meeting with people and his relations with them therefore need a law by which justice and equality can be established among people – the absence of which can make human life be like that of the jungle. Also, this law must be able to protect the right of every one without excessiveness and negligence and none could bring such  perfect law except the Messengers and Prophets.

7.               Man needs to know what can give him tranquillity and psychological security and guide him to means of real happiness. This is what the Prophets and Messengers guided to. After explaining why the creation is in need of Prophets and Messengers, it is now appropriate to discuss the final return and explain the proofs and evidences that support that.

THE FINAL RETURN