The need for Prophets

Prophets were sent to illuminate the way for mankind

Allah sent the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, to mankind throughout the ages so that mankind might be guided to the truth and be purified of sins. Those who were enlightened by the Messengers of Allah, found the way to the Divine Presence and attained the highest rank of humanity. The Messengers led mankind to the knowledge of Allah.

Through them, He was deeply felt by the ‘innermost senses’ of people. The ‘innermost sense’ of man, whether we call it heart or soul, or ‘conscience‘, is so great that through it man can ‘grasp’ Allah with all His Greatness and other Attributes. Allah cannot be contained by the heavens and earth. Minds cannot comprehend Him. Philosophical thoughts are by no means sufficient to reach Him. It is only through his soul or heart that a man can realize the Existence of Allah. Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) is the last and greatest of these Prophets, and he left us the Quran and Sunnah (Prophet’s Tradition) so that we can, by following them, live in accordance with the purpose for which all the Prophets were sent.

The prophets were sent to guide people to the service of Allah

Allah Says (what means):

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” [Quran 51:56]

We have not been created to eat, drink and reproduce; these are natural facts of our life, and natural needs. The main purpose for our creation is to recognize Allah and realize servitude to Him. For this reason, all the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, were sent to show us the way to achieve servitude to Allah, as He, The Most Exalted, Declares (what means):

• “And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me." [Quran 21:25]

• “And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid false deities.’ And among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.” [Quran 16:36]

The Prophets taught people the Laws of Allah

Another purpose for sending the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, is to communicate to people the Divine Commandments - obligations prohibitions. Had it not been for the Prophets, we could not have known these Divine Commandments. This function of the Prophets is called ‘Messengership’, concerning which Almighty Allah Says (what means): “… Those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him and do not fear anyone but Allah.” [Quran 33:39]

The mission of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, was to enlighten all of humanity concerning every dimension of their life. So, any neglect in delivering the Message of Allah would be an unforgivable fault for it would amount to leaving humanity in darkness. For this reason, Messenger Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) was continually in search of unadulterated minds and hearts to which he  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) could impart the Message of Allah.

The Prophets were examples

To set a good example for other people was another duty of the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention– a duty which we must also always observe consciously. Each Prophet was sent to his particular people (except for Prophet Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ) who was sent to all mankind) to remind them of the need to worship one God, and refrain from associating partners with him. They were not gods, sons or partners of God, but were simply the best of mankind, chosen because of their humility in their behavior, morals, peacefulness and knowledge of Allah

The prophets established the balance between this world and the next

The Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, were sent to establish a balance between this world and the Hereafter, between material and spiritual life, between reason and soul, between this world and the next and between indulgence and abstinence.

At a time when some led an isolated life in monasteries and others drowned in luxury, the Quranic instruction came (which means): “But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world." [Quran 28:77]

The Prophets are the witnesses of Allah

One of the reasons why the Prophets were sent is so that mankind will have no argument against Allah in the Hereafter. Regarding this, Almighty Allah Says (what means):

“[We sent] messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah ...” [Quran 4.165]

People who have followed many so-called guides or leaders, only to be led astray, have reached the truth through the guidance of the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention. They (Prophets) were the servants of Allah created for a special mission. They were ‘Prophets’ in the wombs of their mothers. Their lives resembled a beautiful theme, being perfectly harmonious and balanced. Their words came out of their mouths so sweet and penetrated into souls; the whole of existence, animate or inanimate, hearkened to them.

If the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, had not been sent, man might have had an argument against being punished in the Hereafter. But, as the Quran states (what means): “And never would We punish until We sent a messenger.” [Quran 17:15], Allah would not punish anyone without having in advance sent them Prophets to guide them. After the Prophets, mankind would no longer have any argument against the punishment or reward of Allah.

Present attitude towards the Messengers:

As people in the past used to argue with the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, reject their teachings and turn away from them, mankind today - when they have reached the pinnacle of material advancement, penetrated the depths of the oceans, gone far into space, split the atom and discovered many of the natural forces which exist in this universe - are even more in conflict with the Messengers, more emphatically rejecting their teachings and turning away from them even more. Mankind's attitude today towards the Messengers and their teachings is like that of wild donkeys when they see a lion; they flee from it without paying heed to anything else. Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (what means):

“Then what is [the matter] with them that they are, from the reminder, turning away. As if they were alarmed donkeys. Fleeing from a lion?” [Quran 74: 49-51]

Mankind today - more than before - refuses to submit to the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, and their teachings because they are too proud of their knowledge and are too arrogant to follow men who lived centuries before them, as Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (what means):

“That is because their messengers used to come to them with clear evidences, but they said: ‘Shall human beings guide us?’ and disbelieved and turned away. And Allah dispensed [with them]; and Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.” [Quran 64: 6]

Today, Satan whispers into human minds, calling them to rebel against Allah and His Sharee’ah (Law) and to reject the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, on the ground that the Sharee’ah places restrictions on their minds, is an obstacle against progress and that it causes civilization and progress to stagnate. The nations nowadays have set up systems, laws and legislations based on the rejection of the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention. Some nations even made atheism the basis of their constitutions - known as secularism.

The impact of man-made systems

Is it right to say that mankind has now reached a level where they no longer have any need for the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, and their teachings? Is mankind now able to guide itself without any reference to the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention?

To answer is that, we need to look no further than the state of those nations which we call ‘advanced and civilized’, such as America, Britain, France, Russia and China, to see the extent of the misery which prevails in those countries. We do not deny that they have reached a high level of material advancement, but with regard to the matters which the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, and their teachings came to reform, they have gone far astray. No one can deny that distress, psychological pain and complexes are nowadays the hallmark of the civilized world. Man, in the civilized world of today, has lost his humanity, he has lost himself. Hence, the youths are rebelling against values, morals, customs and laws. They have started to reject the life they are living in and to follow everyone who comes under the spotlight in the east or the west, any philosopher or dervish who waves a banner at them, any way which they think will bring them happiness.

The western world has turned into a world whose structure is being undermined by various crimes such as drug addiction, alcoholism, rape, incest, robbery, etc. The pillars of the major nations have been shaken by scandals, and what is still hidden is worse than what is known. Those who are known as ‘civilized peoples’ nowadays are destroying themselves with their own hands. Their civilization is killing them. Their civilization is producing poisons which spread amongst them, killing people and dividing societies. Those ‘civilized peoples’ are like a huge bird that wants to fly high in the sky, but it has only one wing.

Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The Message is essential for mankind; they cannot do without it. They need it above all other things. The Message is the soul, light and life of the world. How could there be any prosperity or guidance for the world without its soul, life and light? This world is engulfed with darkness, unless the sun of the Message shines upon it. If the sun of the Message does not shine in a person's heart and fill it with life, then he too is in darkness and he is dead. Allah, The Most Exalted, Says (what means): “… Is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom?” [Quran 6: 122]

This is the description of the believer who was dead in the darkness of ignorance, then Allah revived him with the spirit of the Message and the light of faith and gave him light by which to walk among people. But the disbeliever is dead at heart, walking in darkness.”

Finally, we need to follow the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, in order to reform our hearts, enlighten our souls and guide our minds.

We need to follow the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, in order to give direction to our lives, to connect us to life and to the Creator of life.

We need to follow the teachings of the Messengers, may Allah exalt their mention, so that we do not go astray or deviate and fall into the fetid swamp.