Prerequisites for Universal faith

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Islam and the Earliest Muslims

Two Conflicting Portraits

Prerequisites for Universal faith

 

Prerequisite One: Miraculous Guidance

The first condition in the prophet, giving the call of such a religion, should be that he is able to transform those coming into contact with him, as if they were reborn with a completely new outlook, new thoughts, and new values; this revolutionary change should have to be brought about without any means or the methods employed by other wise-heads or social organisations.

He should be dependent neither on fine art, nor literature, nor oratory, nor poetics, nor philosophical discourses, nor take recourse to rewards of positions and prestige, one who is more often unlearned and unlettered, and different in the influence exerted and the change brought about by all others to a marked degree, leaving no doubt that the two are basically different in their origination and consummation.

The change in the character and morals resulting from such a prophetic guidance should be indicative of a divine will and succour, which could not be attributed to anything save to a light vouchsafed to the prophet or the blessing of his sacred companionship.

As those who are guided by a prophet come to possess a living awareness of Allah, sincerity of purpose, humility, submission, selflessness, devotion, least regard for anything worldly, anxiety for salvation, self-analysis, and steadfastness—the qualities which are conspicuous by their absence in men trained and guided by all masterminds like great philosophers, pedagogues, thinkers, and intellectuals.

The miraculous and revolutionary guidance provided by the Ambiyaʼ of Allah has been vividly described in this verse of the Qurʼan:

 

هُوَ الَّذِیْ بَعَثَ فِی الْاُمِّیّٖنَ رَسُوْلًا مِّنْهُمْ یَتْلُوْا عَلَیْهِمْ اٰیٰتِهٖ وَیُزَکِّیْهِمْ وَیُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْکِتٰبَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَاِنْ کَانُوْا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِیْ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِیْنٍ

It is He who has sent among the unlettered [Arabs] a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book [i.e., the Qurʼan] and wisdom [i.e., the Sunnah] – although they were before in clear error.^[1]

 

At another place, the sacred Scripture reads:

 

وَلٰکِنَّ اللّٰهَ حَبَّبَ اِلَیْكُمُ الْاِیْمَانَ وَزَیَّنَه فِیْ قُلُوْبِكُمْ وَکَرَّهَ اِلَیْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوْقَ وَالْعِصْیَانَؕ  اُولٓئِكَ هُمُ الرّٰشِدُوْنَ

But Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance, and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided.^[2]

 

Yet another verse of the Qurʼan announces:

 

فَاَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ سَکِیْنَتَه عَلٰی رَسُوْلِهٖ وَعَلَی الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ وَاَلْزَمَهُمْ کَلِمَةَ التَّقْوٰی وَکَانُوْٓا اَحَقَّ بِهَا وَاَهْلَهَا وَکَانَ اللّٰهُ بِكُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیْمًا

But Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and imposed upon them the word of righteousness, and they were more deserving of it and worthy of it. And ever is Allah, of all things, Knowing.^[3]

 

Success of Prophetic Guidance

Such a prophet should be able to bring about a marvellous change in the manner and morals of a large number of his comrades. He should be able to produce men with angelic qualities, each one of whom should be capable of converting an entire nation or country to his faith through his strength of character and virtuous behaviour. The prophet should be able to transform the life of his people in such large numbers that an ideal society should come into existence within his own lifetime, since a prophet who fails to accomplish this feat can hardly be expected to lay a claim that his successors would change the world or bring their contemporaries to inculcate a living awareness of Allah on a scale wider than the prophet had himself achieved.

 

Prerequisite Two: Ambiyaʼ Are Not Political Strategists

Anyone sent by Allah to call towards such a religion should bear no resemblance in his character and morals, procedure and behaviour patterns, as well as in his ends and objectives with political leaders, conquerors, and founders of empires. The methods applied by him in pursuance of his objectives should rather be contrary to the ways adopted by all other worldly-minded persons whose ultimate aim is to establish a dynastic rule. The history of Roman, Byzantine, Sassanid, Kiyani, Suryavanshi, Chandravanshi, and similar other dynasties is witness to the fact that the family of an empire builder is passed on the reins of government and if, for any reason, that is not possible, the clan, tribe, or family of the victor comes to occupy a position of prosperity and privilege which is enjoyed by it for several generations. Their exploits are like the kill of a lion providing feast to other animals of the jungle. One would have hardly believed the stories of wanton enjoyment and festivity of the Roman and Persian emperors if these had not been recorded by reliable historians.^[4] The grandeur of their palaces, the golden carpets^[5] they contained, and the ostentatious living of the Indian rulers furnish an example of their luxurious way of life.

As against the kings and emperors, a prophet of Allah never builds an empire, nor does he do anything to ensure a life of peace and prosperity for his progeny, nor does he vest his family with any exclusive right or privilege to be exercised by them by virtue of their relationship to him. Rather, his way is entirely different: he requires his family members to lead a life of hardship, austerity, and self-sacrifice; and depend after him on their own capabilities and efforts. They are never allowed by a prophet to become social parasites like monks and priests.^[6]

 

Prerequisite Three: Pure and Simple Scripture

The third essential feature is that the scripture revealed to such a prophet is the bull work of his religion, fountainhead of his teachings, a means to bring man closer to Allah, a lighthouse of true spirituality, and finally a guidebook of his creed; it teaches nothing else than absolute and uncompromising monotheism. It has to retain these characteristics to the end of time. Allah takes the responsibility of protecting it from every corruption. It remains entirely unchanged, understood and recited by the people in large numbers, and treasured in human memory through divine dispensation unlike any other book. All this is made possible since it has to be presented as the last revelation to the coming generations for their salvation.

The annals of the Old and the New Testaments and other religious scriptures record the events leading to the destruction of these sacred writings sometimes by the invaders and enemies and often through interpolations by their own over-religious followers.^[7] Some of these writings were even lost forever by the heedlessness of their insincere and selfish trustees. The reason for it was that safekeeping of these scriptures was entrusted to their followers alone who were:

 

اسْتُحْفِظُوْا مِنْ کِتٰبِ اللّٰهِ وَکَانُوْا عَلَیْهِ شُهَدَآءَ

Bidden to observe it and there unto were they witnesses.^[8]

 

Whereas the responsibility of protecting the Glorious Qurʼan against every alteration and interpolation was assumed by Allah, for He says:

اِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَاِنَّا لَه لَحٰفِظُوْنَ

Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qurʼan], and indeed, We will be its guardian.^[9]

 

Prerequisite Four: Fount of Guidance

The forth characteristic is that such a prophet should be the sole leader and guide and cynosure for his followers. Just as the Creator of the universe is to be accepted as the only Lord and Master, the followers of such a prophet have to be unanimous in their obedience, love, and regard for the unique personality of the prophet whom they should hold as the wisest of the wise, the last of the Ambiyaʼ, and the prince of all human beings. They ought to disdain regarding anybody else—howsoever near and dear he may be to the prophet—as impeccable, worthy of their unquestioning obedience, or a recipient of revelation. In reality, the solidarity of his followers, protection against multiplicity of creeds and divisive forces, and the guarantee of their own inherent spiritual strength lie in their acceptance of the principle of the Finality of Nubuwwah.^[10]

Now, we shall discuss each of these four requirements for an abiding religion in order to examine each issue objectively in the light of observations of Muslim and non-Muslim thinkers and writers and the record of events preserved by history.

 

NEXT⇒ Prerequisite One: Miraculous Guidance

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^[1] Surah al Jumu’ah: 2.

^[2] Surah al Hujurat: 7. For a detailed discussion on the Qurʼanic verses praising the Companions of the Messenger salla Llahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, see Muhsin al Mulk: Ayat Bayyinat, vol. 1 pg. 12 – 31.

^[3] Surah al Fath: 26.

^[4] Arthur Christensen: Iran Sous Les Sassanides, Paris, 1936 (translation by Prof. Muhammad Iqbal: Iran ba ‘Ahd Sasaniyyan).

^[5] See ‘Abdul Halim Sharar: Tarikh Islam, vol. 1 pg. 356; Tarikh al Tabari.

^[6] Details are given elsewhere.

^[7] See Prof. Nawab ‘Ali: Tarikh Suhuf Samawi; Molana Sayed Abu al Hasan ‘Ali Nadwi: Islamic Concept of Prophethood, pg. 171-183.

^[8] Surah al Maʼidah: 44.

^[9] Surah al Hijr: 9.

^[10] See Islamic concept of Prophethood, chapter 8, seal of prophethood, Lucknow, 1976. The doctrine of Imamah held by the Shia sect will be discussed later on.