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A grain of wheat that is placed within the bosom of the earth under
appropriate conditions begins to grow and enters upon a path of development in
which at every moment it takes on a new form and state. Following a particular
order and sequence it treads this path until it becomes a grown plant with
spikes of wheat ; if once again one of the seeds were to fall upon the ground it
would begin the previous cycle all over again until it reached the final goal.
Likewise if the seed is that of a fruit placed within the bosom of the soil it
begins its transformation, breaking its shell, from which a green stem shoots
out. It follows an orderly and distinct path of transformation until finally it
becomes a fully grown tree, green and full of fruit. Or if it is the sperm of an
animal it begins to develop within the egg or in the womb of the mother,
following the line of development peculiar to that animal until it becomes a
perfected individual of that animal species.
This distinct path and orderly development is to be development is to be
observed in each species of creatures in this world and is determined by the
inner nature of that species. The green wheat plant which has sprung up from the
grain will never bear oats or become a sheep, a goat, or an elephant, and an
animal that has become pregnant from its male will never bear spikes of wheat or
a plane tree. Even if an imperfection were to occur in the organs or the natural
functions of the newly born, or if a lamp were to be born without an eye, or a
wheat plant develop without spikes of wheat, we would have no doubt that such an
occurrence was due to some pest or to unnatural causes. Continuous order and
regularity in the development and generation of things, and the belonging of
each species of creatures in its generation and development to a particular
order and rule, is an undeniable fact.
From this evident thesis two conclusions can be drawn. (1) Between the
various stages that each species of creatures traverses from the beginning to
the end of its existence there is continuity and interconnection, as if that
species in each stage of its development were pushed from behind and attracted
by what is to come. (2) Due to the above-mentioned continuity and
interconnection, the last stage in the development of each species is from the
beginning of its generation the goal and point of "existential
attention" of that species. For example, the "attention" of the
walnut that sends out a green shoot from below the earth is centered from that
very moment on a fully grown walnut tree. And a sperm in the egg or the womb is
from the moment of its generation moving toward the state of the perfected
animal.
The Holy Quran, which teaches that the creation and the preservation of
things belong absolutely to God, considers this movement and attraction, which
each species in creation possesses in trading its path of development, to be
derived from Divine guidance. As He says, "Our Lord is He Who gave unto
everything its nature, then guided it aright" (Quran, XX, 50). And also,
"Who createth, then disposeth ; who measureth then guideth" (Quran,
LXXXVII, 2-3). And He refers to the result of these sayings in these words:
"And each one hath a goal toward which he turneth" (Quran, II, 148).
And also: "And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is
between them in play. We created them not save with truth, but most of them know
not" (Quran, XLIV, 38-39).
Special Guidance
Obviously the human species is not an exception to this general rule. The
same guidance which rules over all species of creature governs man as well. In
the same way that each species through its particular nature follows its path of
perfection and is guided to it, so must man with the help of this guidance be
guided toward that which is his real perfection.
Although man shares many elements with other species of animals and with
plants, the one special characteristic which distinguishes him is intellect. It
is with the help of his intellect and reason that man is able to think and to
make use of every means possible for his own benefit, to fly into the endless
spaces of the sky or swim in the depth of the sea, or to bring under his service
and command all kinds of created things, whether they be minerals, plants or
animals on the surface of the earth, and to benefit even from members of his own
species to the greatest extent possible.
Owing to his primordial nature, man sees his happiness and perfection in
gaining complete freedom. Yet, he must of necessity sacrifice some of his
freedom because he is created as a social being and has endless demands which by
himself he can never satisfy, and also because he is in cooperation and social
intercourse with other members of his species who themselves have the same
instinct of self-centeredness and love of freedom that he has. For the sake of
the benefit he gains from others he must in turn be of benefit to them.
Equivalent to what he reaps from the toil of others he must give of his own
work. Or, in summary, he must of necessity accept a society based upon mutual
cooperation.
This point is clear in the case of newborn babies and children. At the
beginning, when desiring anything, they make use of no other means but force and
crying and refuse to accept any constraint or discipline. But gradually, as a
result of mental development, they realize that one cannot succeed in the
problems of life only through rebellion and force ; therefore, slowly they
approach the condition of social beings. Finally they reach the age when they
become social individuals with developed mental powers and are ready to obey the
social regulations of their environment.
When man comes to accept the necessity for mutual cooperation among members
of society he also recognizes the necessity for laws which rule over society,
clarifying the duty of each individual and specifying the punishment for each
offender. He accepts laws through whose application each individual can realize
real happiness and find felicity in proportion to the social value of his
efforts. These laws are the same universal and applicable laws which man, from
the first day of his existence until today, has been continuously seeking and to
which he has always been attracted as the foremost among all his desires. If the
attainment of such a thing were not possible and were not written upon the
tablet of human destiny, it would not have been the perennial yearning of man.
God, the Exalted, has referred to this reality of human society, saying,
"We have apportioned among their livelihood in the life of the world, and
raised some of them above others in rank that some of them may take labor from
others" (Quran, LXIII, 32). Concerning man's selfishness and desire to
monopolize things to himself He says, "Lo! man was created anxious, fretful
when evil befalleth him, and, when good befalleth him, grudging" (Quran,
LXX, 19-21).
Reason and Law
If we delve into the matter carefully we will discover that man seeks
continuously those laws which can bring happiness in the world ; that people as
individuals and in groups recognize, in accordance with their God-given nature,
the necessity for laws which provide felicity for them without discrimination or
exception, laws which establish a general norm of perfection among mankind.
Obviously, up to now, during the different periods of human history, there have
not come into being any such laws which are devised by human reason. If the laws
of existence had placed the burden of creating such human laws upon the
shoulders of human reason, then during the long period of history such laws
would have been established. In that case, each individual who possesses the
power of reasoning would comprehend this human law in detail in the same way
that everyone realizes the necessity for such laws in society.
In other words, if it had been in the very nature of things that it be the
duty of human reason to create a perfect common law which must provide happiness
for human society, and that man should be guided to that perfect law through the
process of creation and the generation of the world itself, then such laws would
have been apprehended by each human being through his reason in the same way
that man knows what is of benefit or detriment to him throughout the determined
course of daily life. There is, however, as yet no sign of the presence of such
laws. Laws which have come about by themselves, or have been devised by a single
ruler, or individuals, or nations, and have become prevalent in different
societies are considered by some as certain, and by others as doubtful. Some are
aware of these laws and others are ignorant of them. Never has it come to pass
that all people, who in their basic structure are the same in that they are
endowed by God with reason, should have a common awareness of the details of the
laws which can bring about happiness in the world of man.
That
Mysterious Wisdom and Consciousness Called Revelation
Thus, in the light of the discussion above, it becomes clear that the laws
which can guarantee the happiness of human society cannot be perceived by
reason. Since according to the thesis of general guidance running throughout
creation the existence of an awareness of these laws in the human species is
necessary, there must be another power of apprehension within the human species
which enables man to understand the real duties of life and which places this
knowledge within the reach of everyone. This consciousness and power of
perception, which is other than reason and sense, is called the prophetic
consciousness, or the consciousness of revelation.
Of course the presence of such a power in mankind does not mean that it
should necessarily appear in all individuals, in the same way that although the
power of procreation has been placed in all human beings, the awareness of the
enjoyment of marriage and being prepared for this enjoyment is possible only for
those who have reached the age of puberty. In the same way that the
consciousness of revelation is a mysterious and unknown form of consciousness
for those who do not possess it, the apprehension of the joy of sexual union is
a mysterious and unknown feeling for those who have not reached the age of
puberty.
God, the Exalted, makes reference in His Word to the revelation of His Divine
Law (Shari'ah) and the inability of human reason to comprehend this matter in
the verses: "Lo! We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and the prophets after
him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and
Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and We imparted unto David the
Psalms; and messengers We have mentioned unto thee before and messengers We have
not mentioned unto thee ; and Allah spoke directly unto Moses ; Messengers of
good cheer and of warning, in order that mankind might have no argument against
Allah after the messengers" (Quran, IV, 163-165).
The
Prophets - Inerrancy of Prophecy
The appearance of prophets affirms that conception of revelation outlined
above. The prophets of God were men who propagated the call of revelation and
prophecy and brought definitive proofs for their call. They propagated among
people the elements of the religion of God (which is the same divine law that
guarantees happiness) and made it available to all men.
Since in all periods of history the number of people endowed with the power
of prophecy and revelation has been limited to a few individuals, God - the Most
Exalted - has completed and perfected the guidance of the rest of mankind by
placing the mission of the propagation of religion upon the shoulders of His
prophets. That is why a prophet of God must possess the quality of inerrancy ('ismah).
In receiving the revelation from God, in guarding it and in making possible its
reaching the people, he must be free from error. He must not commit sin (ma'siyah).
The reception of revelation, its preservation and its propagation are three
principles of ontological guidance ; and error in existence itself is
meaningless. Furthermore, sin and opposition to the claims of the religious call
and its propagation are impossible in a prophet for they would be a call against
the original religious mission ; they would destroy the confidence of the
people, their reliance upon the truth and the validity of the call. As a result
they would destroy the purpose of the religious call itself.
God, the Exalted, refers in His word to the inerrancy of the prophets,
saying, "And We chose them and guided them unto a straight path"
(Quran, VI, 88). And also, "(He is) the Knower of the Unseen, and He
revealeth unto none His secret, save unto every messenger whom He hath chosen,
and then He maketh a guard to go before him and a guard behind him, that He may
know that they have indeed conveyed the messages of their Lord" (Quran,
LXXII, 26-28).
The
Prophets and Revealed Religion
What the prophets of God receive through revelation and as a message from God
and conveyed to mankind was religion (din), that is, a way of life and human
duties which guarantee the real happiness of man.
Revealed religion in general consists of two parts : doctrine and practice or
method. The doctrinal part of revealed religion consists of a series of
fundamental principles and views concerning the real nature of things upon which
man must establish the foundations of his life. It is comprised of the three
universal principles of unity (tawhid), prophecy (nubuwwat), and eschatology
(ma'ad). If there is any confusion or disorder in one of these principles the
religion will not be able to gain any following.
The practical part of revealed religion consists of a series of moral and
practical injunctions covering the duties man has before God and human society.
That is why the secondary duties which have been ordered for man in different
Divine laws are of two kinds : morals (akhlaq), and actions (a'mal).
The morals and actions related to the Divine are of two kinds, such as: first,
the quality of faith, sincerity, surrender to God, contentment and humility ;
and second, the daily prayers, fasting, and sacrifice (called acts of worship
and symbolizing the humility and servitude of man before the Divine Throne). The
morals and actions related to human society are also of two kinds, such as:
first, the quality of love for other men, wishing well for others, justice and
generosity ; and second, the duty to carry out social intercourse, trade and
exchange, etc. (called transactions).
Another point that must be considered is that since the human species is
directed toward the gradual attainment of perfection, and human society through
the passage of time becomes more complete, the appearance of a parallel
development must also be seen in revealed laws. The Holy Quran affirms this
gradual development, which reason has also discovered. It can be concluded from
its verses that each Divine Law (Shari'ah) is in reality more complete than the
Shari'ah before ; for instance, in this verse where He says, "And unto thee
have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was
before it, and a watcher over it." (Quran, V, 48)
Of course, as scientific knowledge also confirms and the Quran states, the
life of human society in this world is not eternal and the development of man is
not endless. As a result, the general principles governing the duties of man
from the point of view of doctrine and practice must of necessity stop at a
particular stage. Therefore, prophecy and the Shari'ah will also one day come to
an end when in the perfection of doctrine and expansion of practical regulations
they have reached the final stage of their development. That is why the Holy
Quran, in order to make clear that Islam (the religion of Muhammad) is the last
and most complete of the revealed religions, introduces itself as a sacred book
that cannot be abrogated (naskh), calls the Prophet the "Seal of the
Prophets" (khatam al-anbiya'), and sees the Islamic religion as
embracing all religious duties. As He says, "And lo! it is an unassailable
Scripture. Falsehood cannot come at it from before it or behind it" (Quran,
XLI, 41-42). And also, "Muhammad is not the father of any man among you but
he is the messenger of Allah and the Seal of the prophets" (Quran, XXXIII,
40). And, "We reveal the scripture unto thee as an exposition of all
things" (Quran, XVI, 89).
The
Prophets and Proof of Revelation and Prophecy
Many modern scholars who have investigated the problem of revelation and
prophecy have tried to explain revelation, prophecy and questions connected with
them by using the principles of social psychology. They say that the prophets of
God were men of a pure nature and strong will who had great love for humanity.
In order to enable mankind to advance spiritually and materially and in order to
reform decadent societies, they devised laws and regulations and invited mankind
to accept them. Since people in those days would not accept the logic of human
reason, in order to make them obey their teachings the prophets, according to
such modern scholars, claimed that they and their thoughts came from the
transcendent world. Each prophet called his own pure soul the Holy Spirit ; the
teachings which he claimed came from the transcendent world were called
"revelation and prophecy" ; the duties which resulted from the
teachings were called "revealed Shari'ah" ; and the written record of
these teachings and duties were called a "revealed book."
Anyone who views with depth and impartiality the revealed books and
especially the Holy Quran, and also the lives of the prophets, will have no
doubt that this view is not correct. The prophets of God were not political men.
Rather they were "men of God," full of truthfulness and purity. What
they perceived they proclaimed without addition or diminution. And what they
uttered they acted upon. What they claimed to possess was a mysterious
consciousness which the invisible world had bestowed upon them. In this way they
came to know from God Himself what welfare of men was in this world and the
next, and propagated this knowledge among mankind.
It is quite clear that in order to confirm and ascertain the call of prophecy
there is need of proof and demonstration. The sole fact that the Shari'ah
brought by a prophet conforms to reason is not sufficient in determining the
truthfulness of the prophetic call. A man who claims to be a prophet, in
addition to the claim of the truth of his Shari'ah, claims a connection through
revelation and prophecy with the transcendent world, and therefore claims he has
been given by God the mission to propagate the faith. This claim in itself is in
need of proof. That is why (as the Holy Quran informs us) the common people with
their simple mentality always sought miracles from the prophets of God in order
that the truthfulness of their call might be confirmed.
The meaning of this simple and correct logic is that the revelation which the
prophet claims is his cannot be found among others who are human beings like
him. It is of necessity an invisible power which God miraculously bestows upon
His prophets, through which they hear His word and are given the mission to
convey this word to mankind. If this be true, then the prophet should ask God
for another miracle so that people would believe the truth of his prophetic
call.
It is thus clear that the request for miracles from prophets is according to
correct logic and it is incumbent upon the prophet of God to provide miracle at
the beginning of his call, or according to the demand of the people, in order to
prove his prophecy. The Holy Quran has affirmed this logic, relating miracles
about many prophets at the beginning of their mission or after their followers
requested them.
Of course many modern investigators and scientists have denied miracles, but
their opinions are not based upon any satisfactory reasons. There is no reason
to believe that the causes which until now have been discovered for events
through investigation and experiment are permanent and unchanging, or that no
event ever occurs for reasons other than those which usually bring it about. The
miracles related about the prophets of God are not impossible or against reason
(as is, for example, the claim that the number three is even). Rather they are a
"break in what is habitual" (kharq-i 'adat), an occurrence
which, incidentally, has often been observed in a lower degree among people
following ascetic practices.
The
Number of the Prophets of God
It is known through tradition that in the past many prophets appeared, and
the Holy Quran affirms their multitude. It has mentioned some of them by name or
by their characteristics, but has not given their exact number. Through
definitive traditions also it has not been possible to determine their number
