The call of the prophets and messengers is one and pure
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 (20)
We stand before the timeless, unified call on the tongue of every messenger, and in every message, the call to worship and servitude to Allah alone, as portrayed in the Holy Quran about every messenger: {He said, "O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity other than Him''.}; We have always interpreted "worship" to mean "comprehensive submission to Allah alone in all matters of this world and the Hereafter". This is because this is the connotation conveyed by the word in its linguistic origin. The Arabs who first heard this Quranic revelation did not initially confine the meaning of this term to merely performing religious rituals. When it was first revealed in Mecca, there were no prescribed religious rites yet. Rather, they understood it to mean that what was required of them was complete submission to Allah alone in all matters and to remove the servitude to others besides Allah in every aspect of their lives.
The unity of divinity, lordship, sovereignty, sources of religious law, way of life, direction of allegiance, and comprehensive submission is the unity that deserves the sending of all these messengers, and it is for the sake of this unity that all these efforts were expended, and all these tribulations and pains were endured throughout the ages. This is not because Allah Almighty needs it; He is free from any need, but because human life cannot be rectified, upheld, elevated, or made worthy of humanity except through this unity. Its impact on human life is boundless in every aspect.
From all of the above, it becomes clear to us that the religion of the prophets (peace be upon them) is one, and that their call is one - the call to Islam. It is the call to bring people out of the worship of created beings to the worship of the Creator of all beings, from the narrowness of the worldly life to its vastness, and from the injustice of other religions to the justice of Islam. Additionally, there are other matters on which all religions and messages concur and to which they call. These are the ethics and values that Allah has ingrained in humanity. We find the call to uphold them, preserve them, and reject what contradicts them in every message. The call of the prophets (peace be upon them) has encompassed them, and they cannot be changed, altered, or abrogated. Examples of these include monotheism, the principles of faith, honoring parents, prohibiting indecency and injustice, prohibiting the unjust taking of life, being kind to orphans, establishing justice among people, prohibiting arrogance and transgression, promoting generosity and loyalty, and prohibiting treachery and betrayal.
- Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi, Lot (peace be upon him) and his Mission in Confronting Corruption and Sexual Deviance, pp. 84-85.
- In the Shadows of the Qur’an, Sayyid Qutb, in brief, 3/1902-1903.
- Educational Pauses in the Light of the Holy Qur’an, Abdul Aziz Nasser Al-Jalil, 3/47.
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:
