mmirza@grumpy.eng.ohio-state.edu (Muhammad Mirza) (12/10/90)
MOHAMMED'S MISSION WAS FOR THE WHOLE UNIVERSE It is the Muslims' belief that Mohammed's (pbuh) mission was for the world as a whole, and for all times and it is clear that: Islam's universality has been clearly confirmed by the Quran. It is a logical consequence of the finality of the prohethood. A prophet, afterwhom there was to be no other, had to be a guide and leader for all men and for all ages. Allah has provided through him a complete code which man needs to follow the right path, abd this in itself, supports the concept of finality, because without completeness the need for other prophets would remain, and finally It is a fact that during the last 1400 years no man has arisen whose life and work bears even the slightest resemblance to that of a prophet. Nor has anyone presented a book which could be remotely considered as divine communication. Still less has there been a man to claim legitimate authority as a law-giver for mankind. WHY PROPHETS' ARE NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE WITH MAN? It must, at this point, be understood why the need arose for ALLAH to communicate with man through His prophets. This has to be examined in the context of the sources of human knowledge. At the preliminary stage we gain knowledge through empirical observation. At higher levels comes deductive reasoning accompanied by scientific investigation. Man is sufficiently well equipped in these fields not to require direct divine assistance. Though, no doubt, there is an ever present divine will helping man in his research and innovative endeavors and revealing to him progressively the mysteries of His creation. Some gifted individuals achieve, in moments of rare inspiration, new insights or discover new laws of nature. But there is another type of knowledge which is beyond the reach of our senses or scientific study. This sphere of knowledge does not submit to any instrument of scientific examination. Philosophy and science can speculate about it. Human theories about ultimate realities, based on reason, never achieve the level of certainty and their authors conscious of their limitations do not present them conclusively proved. In respect of these realities man is dependent on whatever knowledge is communicated to him by ALLAH. How is this knowledge conveyed? Not through the operations of some publishing house, where books are printed and handed over to each man, with instructions to read them, and to discover the truth about himself, about the universe, and about the manner in which he should organize his life. To convey this knowledge to mankind, ALLAH chooses prophets as His messengers. He reveals the truth to them and they communicate it to the people. -- Me The Ohio State University Electrical Engineering Dept. Room 204 Dreese Labs