Belief in the Prophets and Messengers (2/3)
2. Belief in the Perfect, Ultimate Wisdom of Allah (Mighty & Majestic), in accordance with His Saying (Noble & Sublime), {And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.}[Al-Hashr 59: 1]
We have mentioned before the Supreme Attributes of Allah (Mighty & Majestic) and His Absolute Power, and we have proven it scientifically, with a variety of incontrovertible evidence and clear proof.
Among the Supreme Attributes of Allah (Glorious & Exalted), there is that which demands of us that we believe in it: His Complete, Ultimate, Perfect Wisdom.
For to God the Creator (Noble & Sublime), belongs Absolute Perfection in all His Names and Attributes.
From the Wisdom of Allah (Mighty & Majestic) is that He provided for man everything his body needs, from food, drink, clothing, and balance in the universe which acts for man's benefit—from earth, sun, moon, sky, mountains, cultivation, animals, birds, water, etc.—He (Noble & Sublime), in His Wisdom and Perfection, provided man with what his soul needs, for this more important than his body. He provided an upstanding religion, lofty instructions, and guiding rites of worship, which bring him closer to his God and Creator, and to victory in the realm of blessing and good pleasure.
But, from where can a human being learn what pleases his God and Creator?
It was the prophets and messengers who were tasked with the job of calling people to Allah Almighty. It was their responsibility to invite people to that which is pleasing to God, the Supreme Creator: Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Then if any disbelieved—in error and contempt—that Allah Almighty had sent messengers to His creation, due to their false claim that they (those who deny the prophets and messengers) had found the world independent of any knowledge and without any of the commands of the prophets and messengers, seeing as how they can discover good and evil through reason alone, then it was the job of the prophets and messengers to refute their arguments and doubts, saying to them:
Do you not see that when Allah's servants remind one another, warn one another, and teach one another, their knowledge, gratitude, obedience to Allah Almighty, and fear of Him (Noble & Sublime) increase? According to them, they will say: Yes, since that is part of what sound, rational, rightly-guided minds must do.
We say to them: Therefore, the persistent succession of prophets and messengers were only sent by Allah Almighty to His creation in order to renew the covenant of Allah (Noble & Sublime) with His slaves—that they believe in Him, affirm His Oneness, and purify their worship for Him Alone—on the tongues of His prophets and messengers. Likewise, were the succession of warnings, reminders, and guidance to proper rites of worship, noble directives, prudent standards of interaction, and upstanding laws, in addition to the details of ambiguous matters, between what Allah (Mighty & Majestic) has permitted and what He has forbidden, and thus, true awareness of both paths: the good and the evil, without conjecture or assumption, and without blindly following vain desires, especially since the nature, ideas, and standards of human beings differ.
As such, it is from the Perfection of Allah's Wisdom that He sent prophets and messengers, out of compassion and mercy from Him (Blessed & Exalted) toward His slaves. Another example of this is:
If there was a king or ruler and some of his soldiers rebelled against him, would it not be from wisdom, justice, leniency, and reconciliation for this ruler to send a messenger to them to tell them to abandon their rebellion and forsake their resistance and disobedience before crushing them without advising them first and taking them by surprise without forewarning?
The answer is: Of course, for that is from wisdom, justice, mercy, and compassion.
3. Miracles and Wonders with which Allah (Mighty & Majestic) Supported His Prophets and Messengers:
Allah (Mighty & Majestic) sent His prophets and messengers, supported by miracles and wonders as testament to their prophethood, message, the truth of their call, and all the news they came with, especially since their call conformed completely to pure, unspoiled human nature and straightforward, honest reason.
We have presented previously some aspects of the tangible miracles of Allah's Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh).
Thus, all people must believe in each of Allah's prophets and messengers when it becomes clear that their call—which agrees with pure human nature and straightforward, honest human reason—is true, and when supporting testimony for the truth of their prophethood and message appears in the form of miracles and wonders, sent by Allah (Mighty & Majestic) to support them with that which none other than the prophets and messengers are capable of producing.
As such, rejecting or opposing any of the prophets or messengers is, in fact, rejection of all the prophets and messengers. Indeed, it is rebellion against Allah (Mighty & Majestic) Who sent them.
Just as those who believe in a messenger are obliged to believe in all the messengers, anyone who disbelieves in one of them has necessarily disbelieved in them all. In the Words of the Most High,
Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish to make a distinction between Allah and His Messengers, saying, "We believe in some, but reject others," wishing to adopt a way in between, * They are, in truth, disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. * And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them, We shall give them their rewards, and Allah is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful.
[Al-Nisaa' 4: 150-152]
Likewise, we would like to make it clear that every time a prophet has reached a people, they became his nation, and they were obliged to obey him. For example:
If someone believed in the Prophet of Allah, Moses (peace be upon him), because of what he learned about the truth of his call, which agrees with pure human nature and sound reason, and he followed the law with which Moses (pbuh) came, and then this person met the Prophet of Allah, Jesus (peace be upon him), and became convinced of his prophethood and message, could this person, who believed in Moses (pbuh) and followed the law with which he came, not follow the Prophet of Allah, Jesus (pbuh), and the law with which he came, claiming that he was from the nation of Moses (pbuh) and not from the nation of Jesus (pbuh)?
Of course not, since that person would have reached the Prophet of Allah, Jesus (pbuh). Thus, he would become of his nation and he would be obliged to abide by the law with which he came, not the law with which Moses (pbuh) came.
Therefore, everyone who reaches the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (pbuh), has become of his nation, and he becomes obliged to follow him (pbuh), and abide by the law with which he came, whether he was a Jew, a Christian, or otherwise.
The truth is that everyone who follows the Prophet of Allah, Moses (pbuh) or the Prophet of Allah, Jesus (pbuh), correctly, would be led by this following to believe and have faith in the prophethood and message of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and to follow him. That is because both the Torah and the Gospels, as well as other divine scriptures brought good tidings and news of this prophet, the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him). We shall, by the Will of Allah Almighty, mention some of these prophecies in good time.
Thus, authentic scriptural reference and straightforward logic both lead to belief in the Final Message—that of Muhammad, may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him.