Allah Almighty sends Messengers to achieve great goals and great functions
Selections from the Book ‘’Lot (peace be upon him) and his Mission in Confronting Corruption and Sexual Deviance’’ …
Written by Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi...
Episode (12)
Allah Almighty entrusted the prophets and messengers with achieving great objectives, fulfilling major roles, and accomplishing lofty goals. I will summarize some of these in the following points:
A- Calling people to worship Allah alone and abandon the worship of anything other than Him:
Allah Almighty said: {And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid taghut"} [An-Nahl: 36].
And The Almighty said: {And We sent not before you any messenger except We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except Me, so worship Me"} [Al-Anbya: 25].
B- Conveying the divine Sharia to the people:
Allah Almighty said: {O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And Allah will protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the disbelieving people} [Al-Ma'idah: 67].
C- Explaining what was revealed about the religion:
Allah Almighty said: {[We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’an] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought} [An-Nahl: 44].
D- Evangelizing and warning the servants:
This involves guiding the community towards good deeds and giving them glad tidings of the rewards prepared for those who do them, as well as warning them against evil and alerting them to the punishment prepared for those who commit it. Allah, the Exalted, said: {[We sent] messengers as bringers of good tidings and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah after the messengers. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise} [An-Nisa: 165].
E- Reforming people:
Reform is achieved through good example and virtuous behavior in words and actions. Allah, the Exalted, said: {Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their guidance take an example. Say, "I ask of you for it [i.e., this message] no payment. It is not but a reminder for the worlds"} [Al-An'am: 90]. And He said: {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often} [Al-Ahzab: 21].
F- Establishing Alah’s law among His servants and applying it:
Allah Almighty said: {And judge, [O Muhammad], between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations and beware of them, lest they tempt you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you. And if they turn away - then know that Allah only intends to afflict them with some of their [own] sins. And indeed, many among the people are defiantly disobedient} [Al-Ma'idah: 49].
G- The testimony of the Messengers to the nations on the Day of Resurrection:
The testimony of the Messengers to their nations on the Day of Resurrection; That they have conveyed to them the clear message, and the message of the Lord of the Worlds. The Almighty said: {And [mention] the Day when We will resurrect among every nation a witness over them from themselves [i.e., their prophet]. And We will bring you, [O Muhammad], as a witness over these [i.e., your nation]. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims} [An-Nahl: 89]. And He said: {And thus We have made you a median [i.e., just] community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you} [Al-Baqarah: 143].
These are some of the functions of the messengers, which add honor to their already esteemed status and virtue to their virtue. It is sufficient for their pride that they convey the message of the Lord of the worlds. Glory be to Him who distinguished them with this high rank, granted them this noble duty, and chose and selected them from among all His servants to undertake this pleasing service.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, Lot (peace be upon him) and his Mission in Confronting Corruption and Sexual Deviance, pp. 61-63.
- Book of Prophets, Ibn Taymiyyah, 1/28-29.
For further information and review of the sources for the article, see:
The Book of ‘’Lot (peace be upon him) and his Mission in Confronting Corruption and Sexual Deviance’’ on the official website of Sheikh Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi:
