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To prepare an essay on a fundamental and complex issue for a newspaper [or other publication], requires focus on one particular aspect of it. Otherwise, it is impossible to expand on a subject over one or two pages which requires more substantial space [for its analysis]. For the purposes of this essay, which in truth would only be justly served by numerous written texts and even they would prove insufficient, I too will adopt this approach.
Prophets are the Word of God Almighty. He says:
Say, ‘If the ocean became ink for the words of my Lord, surely, the ocean would be exhausted before the words of my Lord came to an end, even though We brought the like thereof as further help.’
Thus prophethood is an endlessly vast subject, however, with due regard to circumstance, some part of it can be taken up for consideration.
As recorded in the Holy Qur’an, the prophets of God are given four primary tasks which are identified in the following prayer of Abraham (as):
And, our Lord, raise up among them a Messenger from among themselves, who may recite to them Thy Signs and teach them the Book and Wisdom and may purify them; surely, Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.
A simple reading [of this supplication] is sufficient to show that through these words, the prophet Abraham (as) excellently describes the essential duties of a prophet of God. They are tasked with: i) relating the signs of Allah the Exalted, ii) teaching people the divine book, iii) imparting a teaching of wisdom, iv) and purifying the souls of the people. One cannot better describe the functions of a prophet in such a brief and comprehensive manner other than this. Let us now look at how the Holy Prophet (sas) fulfilled these tasks.
The first task of a prophet is to recite divine signs. In Arabic the word ayah (sign) means a warning sign or proof. Anything which guides towards something else can be referred to as an ayah. To recite the signs [of God] means to reveal things which draw people to belief in the unseen, for such matters are beyond human comprehension. God transcends all beings; the one true living presence. Yet He is so subtle, it is beyond human reach to comprehend Him. One can only attain His nearness through [divine] proofs, forceful signs and by the knowledge and observation of divine attributes. In this way, doubts about His being are removed from the hearts of the people. The same is true of the laws of nature, the angels, messengership, divine discourse and life after death—one cannot understand any of these independently. They all rely on proofs and evidence which give us greater understanding of them, from both a spiritual and intellectual perspective, and let us identify with them in a way that we can see their hidden truths with our own eyes.
The significance of the above-mentioned articles of faith is substantiated by the fact that all religions, in one way or another, require belief in them and incorporate them within their primary tenets under various names, though the manner in which they are perceived may differ to certain extents. Therefore, a person who eases the path to conviction for people and stands them at a vantage point from where they can come to know these matters with such certainty that all element of doubt is removed, can be said to have elevated the station of prophethood to its highest point.
An inquiry into the teachings of the Holy Prophet (sas) and a close look at his works, shows he fulfilled this particular duty in such a distinguished manner, one cannot find a similar example anywhere else. Any discussion about God Almighty must begin with His attributes, for as an infinite being, it is only through them that He can be known. If a person does not explain divine attributes in a way that awes the hearts of people with Allah’s greatness, nor makes them understood intellectually to the full extent of human comprehension, they cannot succeed in leading people to God Almighty.
The divine attributes described by the Holy Prophet (sas) were such that not only did they satisfy the human intellect, but were also worthy of an infinite being who is All-Powerful (
) and the Creator of all Things (
). The Holy Prophet (sas) showed God Almighty to be free from all material constraints and appearances and asserted His oneness so forcefully he presented a God Who was faultless and above defilement. At the same time, He revealed God’s love for His creation and showed that the Lord wished to lead them to the highest levels of progress, whereby the human heart is filled with love and the human intellect is satisfied. But he did not stop here. He also established before the world the principle that those matters in which belief is an essential requisite of salvation cannot rest on intellectual foundations alone, instead their truth needs to be based on observation so that the heart is cleansed of any potential for doubt. He averred that divine attributes are manifested for the chosen ones of God in such a way they appear as miracles and fill the hearts of people with the highest degree of certainty.
With regards to the angels, the Holy Prophet (sas) rejected the views of those who deny their existence as well as those who likened them to simple courtiers of a king. He explained they were as integral a part of the spiritual and corporeal working of the universe as those elements and particles which can be observed by humans. The angels cannot be equated with those who attend the court of a temporal king, rather they are the first link in the process of creation and thereby fulfil the commandments of a transcendent and immaterial God. They are the basis of both the material and spiritual realm, and just as a building cannot be raised without foundations, the universe cannot exist without the angels.
The Holy Prophet (sas) made the laws of nature so simple to understand that scientists who inquire into the causes and effects of the material world; philosophers who devise theories on the basis of rational thought; sufis who devote themselves to spiritual pursuits; and members of the public who look at the world in more basic terms, were able to comprehend them. All such people gained insight into these matters in accordance with their own [intellectual] capacity. Their investigations led them to satisfaction and established the truth of the claim of the Holy Prophet (sas). One cannot doubt the truth of a matter which is examined from all angles, and always produces the same result.
The Holy Prophet (sas) used the laws of nature to explain the need for messengers of God and for divine discourse. [For example], he demonstrated that when God has created the sun for the sake of the human eye, it was for certain that He would also have produced a spiritual sun and a spiritual light for the sake of the spiritual eye. The former is temporary, whereas spiritual sight serves a person in this life and in the hereafter.
He explained the issue of life after death from multiple perspectives and in a way that it became more of a practical concern than an intellectual one. Human deeds endeavour for great rewards, therefore it is necessary to keep these incentives hidden from them, for if they were revealed, people would be deprived of free will and be subject to predetermination. The hereafter is not an alternative realm, rather, it is a continuation of this world wherein the human soul is liberated from material influences and roams freely on those paths it had prepared for itself through its earlier deeds. God Almighty is not a wrathful king. His attributes necessitated the creation of humankind and those same attributes also necessitate that in the end all people reach their ultimate goal. At some point, whether before or after, everyone will be united with the Being Whose mercy brought them into existence.
Thus the Holy Prophet (sas) took those hidden matters which constitute the foundations of faith out from the cloud of uncertainty, and placed them under the shining light of the sun for everyone to see them with the eye of their intellects, perceive them through their spiritual understanding and forgo doubt for certainty and satisfaction.
The second task of a prophet is to teach the scripture. The Holy Prophet (sas) fulfilled this undertaking in such a way that no similar example can be found in the life of any other person. (1) He explained how the sharia was a divine blessing. In order to better and improve their lives in this world and in the hereafter, human beings require God Almighty to express His will to them. In this way, the spiritual journey for which they have been created, can be undertaken with full certainty instead of with doubt. The sharia is not a burden which has been imposed on an already encumbered species to crush them further, nor is it the result of any punishment. Instead, it emanates from love to guide people against hidden obstacles, winding roads, steep and high mountains, dangerous and speedy rivers, overarching tree branches, thorny bushes, filth and grime which line the long path of human life and are potential discomforts on this journey. It is not a form of punishment or trial. It is a guide and conductor. None of its commandments are for the sake of elevating the greatness of God Almighty, rather they are there to serve the needs of people. (2) The Holy Prophet (sas) showed for the first time a divine law could be universal and cater to people of different temperaments and capacities. Any scripture which [claims to be all-encompassing but] fails in this regard, precludes certain parts of the world from attaining salvation and thereby negates the very reason for which it was sent. (3) The Holy Prophet (sas) established the principle that the sharia ought to fulfil two primary needs: it ought to elucidate on all those matters which are essential for religious, spiritual and moral progress as well as assist humans in their intellectual progress, rather than cause the intellect to stand so still it begins to rot. By addressing these two primary requirements, the Holy Prophet (sas) also closed off two perilous paths which lead to the destruction of true spirituality. That is, license which sacrifices spiritual prosperity at the altar of material pleasure and the path of blind imitation by which individuals come to resemble a putrid basin of water, turning their minds into a fetid environ which destroys all capacity for growth.
The third task of a prophet is to articulate a teaching of wisdom. In this too the Holy Prophet (sas) set an unparalleled example. Despite his eloquent and unmatched assertion of God’s majesty and might, he also pioneered the argument that divine omnipotence did not mean that God could issue any command of His choosing which people would not look to question. Where God is All-Powerful, He is also Independent (
)—His commandments are not for His own benefit. He is Wise (
)—His edicts are not devoid of wisdom.
Every detail of a teaching that is attributed to God Almighty must conform to wisdom and all divine commandments must serve a purpose. Wisdom permeates all that which is associated with God and is determined by the highest objectives. How could a Wise and Independent God issue an edict that runs contrary to this? Accordingly, the Holy Prophet (sas) explained the underlying wisdom behind each aspect of his teachings through a gradual process. He also elaborated on the benefits of following the commandments he gave and the disadvantages of violating them and did the same with everything he prohibited.
Those who followed his teachings felt no aversion to them in their hearts. Rather, they were gladdened and pursued them with enthusiasm. They recognised that the commandments they had received were beneficial both for them as individuals and for society as a whole. They also knew this was true for those things which were forbidden. This spirit of cheerfulness brought a wonderful transformation within them and they happily followed the sharia and considered it a necessity rather than a burden. In their eyes it was a great mercy [of God].
The fourth task of a prophet is to purify people. That is, to cleanse their hearts and instil in them the requisite qualities to achieve lasting nearness to God Almighty, through which they can absorb divine blessings and exhibit them before the world and become a manifestation of God’s power. And with regard to the Holy Prophet (sas), both his friends and foes acknowledged the perfect manner in which he fulfilled this task.
The plight of the land of his birth and the condition of the people to whom he belonged is hidden from none. It was a desolate time. Arabia and the rest of the world were in a state of religious, moral, intellectual and behavioural decay. A darkness had descended over the earth. The pure teachings of earlier faiths were corrupted and that which remained went unfollowed. What can be said of religious values when even basic humanity did not survive and integrity and virtue had all but disappeared. Idolatry, innovation, wicked customs, violation of human rights, sinfulness, injustice, murder, shamelessness, ignorance, slothfulness, discord, insobriety, gambling, arrogance, selfishness and indeed all forms of iniquity prevailed everywhere, while in comparison, virtue was extinct. All sense of right and wrong had disappeared and acts of impiety drew pride instead of shame.
Though born during this terrible epoch, the Holy Prophet (sas) set upon the task of bringing reform to a nation that exceeded all others in sin and evil. His people knew no form of governance and took the greatest pride in the absence of law and order. Yet the Holy Prophet (sas) suffused them with the breath of his pure spirit. But as is always the way, that which is considered unpalatable is met with resistance, and so the Prophet (sas) also encountered vehement opposition. However, he continued his mission with patience and fortitude and paid no heed to these hostilities. He was beaten and hurled with invectives yet still remained steadfast, unable only to tolerate a world lost to transgression.
And so, one by one, he won over the hearts [of his enemies] in a contest that would last for many years. Numerous resolute souls would relent, but the Holy Prophet (sas) remained firm throughout. Much like water which flows from a mountain peak and forges a path through supple patches of ground, creating a steep incline from which to surge in a steady stream, the Holy Prophet (sas), through his good example and eloquent speech, strived to reform the world until a day came when people were convinced of his piety. A new soul was awakened within the spiritually dead; those who slept were touched by the pleasant glow of the sun; the sick regained their health; a surge of strength coursed through the weak; and the very outlines of the world were reconstituted. Oppression gave way to justice; the sun of knowledge shone through the clouds of ignorance; cold and stagnation were succeeded by peace and vibrancy; the children of men took the first breath of spiritual life, turned on their side and then as they awoke from their stupor, they looked upon the miraculous transformation which the Holy Prophet (sas) had wrought through his selfless struggle. And so, they cried out and accepted him not just as a prophet, but as the chief of the prophets.
With Humility,
Mirza Mahmood Ahmad
(Alfazl, 31 May 1929)
1 I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed. [Publishers]
2 In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. We praise Allah, the Exalted, the Greatest, and we invoke His blessings on His Holy Messenger (sas). [Publishers]
3 By the grace and mercy of God Almighty—He alone is the Helper. [Publishers]
4 Surah Al-Kahf, 18:110 [Publishers]
5 Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:130 [Publishers]
6 Bless, ‘O Allah, Muhammad (sas) and the people of Muhammad (sas), as Thou didst bless Abraham (as) and the people of Abraham (as). Thou art indeed the Praiseworthy, the Glorious. And the conclusion of our prayer shall be, ‘All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. [Publishers]
