Theological Instructions

LESSON TWENTY-THREE: RESOLVING CERTAIN SOURIOUS DOUBTS

Resolving certain spurious doubts

In relation to the arguments discussed on proving the necessity for the nomination of prophets, certain questions and doubts were raised. Following are the answers to those spurious doubts:

1. The requirement of Divine Wisdom is the nomination of prophets in order for the guidance of man. Why then were they all nominated within the limited geographical location, i.e. the Middle East? Further to this why were all the other parts of the world subsequently deprived from this guidance, considering that at that time the system of correspondence and communication was extremely limited? It is thus possible that nations and people remained without any information regarding the message of the prophets.

The response to these questions is that the appearance of the prophets (a) was not confined to a certain location and the noble verses of the Qur’an state that God has sent prophets to every nation:

“Indeed We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of good news and as a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner has passed in it”(Fātir:24).

“Certainly We raised an apostle in every nation [to preach:] ‘Worship Allah, and keep away from the Rebel.” (al-Nahl:36) The Qur’an has mentioned the names of only a few of the prophets (a) and does in no way indicate that they are the only prophets. Rather the Qur’an itself has mentioned that there were several prophets whose names are not mentioned in it:

“And apostles We have recounted to you earlier and apostles We have not recounted to you,” (al-Nisā’:164).

The second answer that can be given to the above question is that there must be a way beyond sense perception and intellect that can be utilised for guiding mankind.

However, the issue of someone becoming guided depends on two conditions, the first is that the person must desire to be blessed and utilise the bounty provided by God, and the second condition is there must be no obstacles in the way from others for their guidance. Hence, some individuals were deprived from the prophets (a) guidance due to the first reason, and others due to the second reason, whereby many individuals have created obstacles in the way of the universal guidance of the prophets (a).

Of course we all acknowledge that the prophets (a) continuously battled against and tried to remove any obstacles put in their way from the oppressors and tyrants. It is for this reason that many have risen against the oppression and subsequently lost their lives in their cause.

The main point to be understood is that the perfection of man is by choice and freewill and this clearly indicates that the grounds have been created for man to choose between truth and falsehood. However, if the extension and increment of the falsehood have reached to a stage whereby they create obstacles on the path of guidance in every way, God the

Supreme in this situation, then utilises His secret and supernatural ways in assisting the rightful ones.

In conclusion, if there were no barriers created by the tyrants on the path of the prophets (a), the word of the prophets (a) would have spread all over the globe and all men would have benefited from the guidance of Revelation and apostleship. Hence the sin of depriving people from God’s guidance is upon the neck of those who build barriers on this infallible path of guidance.

2. If the prophets (a) have been nominated for the perfection of humans, then why did corruption and bloody wars and rebellion occur within these Divine religions. Is it not the requirement of Divine Wisdom to stop such corruption and utilise other means than that instigated by the followers of the Divine religions in their disputes with each other?

The answer to this query lies in the principle of perfection itself. As mentioned earlier the necessity of Divine Wisdom is that human perfection occurs through choice. The ground for perfection is created and it is by choice and desire that man reaches felicity and perfection, as opposed to predetermination. Concurrently, the Qur’ān speaks of this as being the reason behind creation whereby God the Supreme can test man in order to see who is righteous (refer to al-An’ām:165, al-Māi’dah:48, Hūd:7, Ibrāhīm:7, al-Mulk:2). Likewise it has been emphasised in the Qur’an that if God the Supreme desired, He could stop the corruption and distorted developments (refer to al-An’ām:

35, 107, 112, 27, 37). However if this was the case, man would be valueless in terms of humanity and Divine creation would be purposeless.

In conclusion, the tendencies of man towards corruption, sin and infidelity are due to the choice or freewill that man has. To control and train this behaviour is part and parcel of man’s being and arriving at either a good or bad end. Nevertheless, Divine Will is related to the perfection of man, but the condition for this is the choice or freewill, and corruption through choice is not obstructed or negated by God. The requirement of Divine Will is not to force humans on the path of perfection.

3. If we consider Divine Will, which requires most men to reach perfection and felicity, would it not have been better to disclose all the natural secrets through Revelation, in order that man reach perfection and felicity readily, by the means of several (worldly) bounties? Likewise the unveiling of several natural energies or the inventions of several new appliances, as well as many discoveries in the field of medicine in the recent years have productively influenced the progress and development of human civilisation. Hence if the prophets were provided with the industrial and empirical knowledge (or with the natural secrets) would they not have had a greater influence on human society, whilst at the same time increased their political domination, and further reached their goals?

The answer to this question is that the true requirement or need for Revelation and Prophethood is in the domain, which cannot be understood or perceived by man with his ordinary way of thinking. In other words the actual responsibility of the prophets (a) is to assist man in supervising his life and perfecting himself in any state or condition that he is in. They must recognise their responsibility and utilise all the legal means to arrive at

perfection, whether they are nomads or city-dwellers. Human beings have to recognise their responsibility towards God and towards the creation, and through executing these responsibilities they will reach true felicity and perfection. However, different abilities, natural and industrial possibilities, whether in earlier periods or in this period, are an affair that is influenced by certain reasons, and it does not play any specific role in the perfection of man and his eternal destiny.

Moreover the worldly and material progress of this era has no effect upon the spiritual perfection of man; rather one can say that it had a reversed relationship with each other.

In conclusion, the mandate of Divine Will is that man while utilising the material good, continues his worldly life and while utilising the intellect and Revelation directs his life towards eternal felicity and true perfection. However, the differences in the physical and spiritual abilities, in social and natural conditions as well as in the utilisation of industrial or empirical sciences -that follow certain meta-physical conditions, which have emerged due to the correlation of a certain cause and effect - have no influence or role to play in the eternal destiny of man. Whereas, a group or an individual, while accepting a simple way of life and utilising limited material and worldly means can have reached high levels of perfection. And, on the other hand, some of those who lived and are living in the locus of the worldly and empirical sciences- whilst utilising the best material appliances- have deviated with arrogance and fallen into the pit of darkness.

Certainly, the prophets (a) apart from their main responsibility, which is to guide man towards perfection, have assisted them (man) in refining their worldly life as well.

Whenever it was required, the Divine Wisdom of God unveiled the natural secrets of this world and assisted in the progress of human civilisation. This can be seen in the case of Prophet David (a), Solomon (a) and Dhul Qarnayn (a) (refer to al-Anbiyā:78- 81, al-Kahf:83-97, Saba:10-13). It should be noted that according to certain traditions Dhul Qarnayn was not a prophet but a saint.

“He said, ‘Put me in charge of the country’s granaries. I am indeed fastidious [and] well-informed.” (Yūsuf:55).

All such services carried out by the prophets such as that quoted above regarding the Prophet Joseph (a), were all in addition to the prime responsibility of prophethood.

However with regards to why the prophets did not utilise industrial and empirical knowledge, one must say:

The goal of the prophets as mentioned earlier, was to create the grounds for human beings to select and choose freely the path of perfection. If humans were forced through unnatural power, they would then have acknowledged the path of perfection due to force but not due to freewill and Divine aspirations.

Imam Ali (a) says in this regard:

“When Allah deputed the prophets, if He wished to open for them treasures and mines of gold and to collect around them birds of the skies and beasts of the earth He could have done so. If He had done so then there

would have been no trial, no recompense falling due after trial and the believers could not deserve the reward for good acts, and all these words would not have retained their meanings. If prophets possessed authority that could not be assaulted, or honour that could not be damaged or domain towards which necks of people would turn and saddles of carriers could be set, it would have been very easy for the people to seek lessons and quite difficult to feel vain. They would have then accepted belief out of fear felt by them or inclination attracting them and the intention of them all would be the same although their actions would have been different. Therefore Allah decided that people should follow His prophets, acknowledge His books, remain humble before His face, obey His commands and accept His obedience with sincerity in which there should not be an iota of anything else; and as the trial and tribulation would be stiffer the reward and recompense too should be larger” (Nahj al- Balaghah sermon 190. See also al- Furqān:7-10, al-Zukhruf:31-5).

Certainly, the aim and God’s objective, is to form a Divine society, and to utilise all the worldly means in serving this Divine purpose, especially in protecting the rights of the believers and crushing transgressors. However this has to be achieved through free will and the choice of the people, as has been witnessed in history during the era of the Prophet Solomon (a).

Questions

1- Were all the prophets sent to a specific geographical location?

2- Why did the message of the prophets not spread all across the world?

3- Why did God the Supreme not stop all the corruption and bloodshed?

4- Why did the prophets not unveil the secrets of nature, in order for their followers to utilise the materialistic and worldly provisions?

5- Why did the prophets not utilise industrial and empirical knowledge when introducing their message?