PROPHETHOOD

In the name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful

Human is given two divine guidance

• 'aql--to think, reflect, distinguish right from wrong
• divine revelation--through intellectual faculty of selected individuals (prophets)

These two divine guidance are interdependent--like eye vision and light ray--the eyes cannot see without the light, and the light without eyes, is useless--the aql without the revelation is misguided, the revelation without the 'aql cannot be understood---revelation confirms the findings of the intellect with certainty

The revelation is transmitted to the prophets through inspiration, from behind a veil, and through angel to be conveyed to mankind

• THUS, Prophet is a medium through whom messages from Allah, divine revelation, were sent down and transmitted to humankind---prophet's main role is to communicate the messages from Allah to mankind rationally
• REVELATION is messages from Allah to his prophets concerning the fundamentals of belief and action---it is the act by which Allah discloses HIMSELF to HIS creations

Prophet is an ordinary human being with superb moral characters     
6 characteristics of prophethood

• truthfulness
• trustworthiness
• communication of Allah's messages
• intelligent
• infallibility (some scholars assert that prophets did make mistakes but they were pardoned by Allah, thus they have no sin)
• no mental defect 

The status of prophet is the highest among mankind, thus, whatever he taught us and instructed us to do, is considered obligation and should be done first...

Why prophets were human

• people would not make excuses for not being able to implement the teachings of the revelation---if prophets were among angles, human being would say how could they do things like angels for angels always obey and without desires
• would be able to demonstrate to mankind that human is capable of living by the revelation---prophets were exemplars or perfect moral behaviors

The Significance of Prophethood

• develop the foundation of thought and actions which enable mankind to build civilization; to relate, and respond to the challenges of changing time and space
• their strategy for living is the interpretations (through practice) of the revelation (theoretical)---revelation is general guidelines which is explained practically through prophets' behaviors and life styles---revelation is theory and prophets' life is practice
• human mind is limited, therefore it could not think of anything beyond what is perceived by the senses---thus, the mind could not know about the unseen with certainty without revelation from Allah, prophets' role is to convey messages about the unseen world
• prophet's life was the living proof that the teachings of the revelation are practical and could lead to success and happiness
• role model for mankind to emulate

Relevance of Prophet's Message

• The prophet message has not suffered from distortion and falsification---this is guaranteed by Allah
• Man's morality has lagged behind, man's mind has not matured that it does not need any guidance from Allah
• The problems faced by the modern man are similar with the problems faced by the people of the prophet's time---materialism, modernism (man is self-suficent), relative morality, etc
• Human advancement in science and technology has not produced answers to humanity's ultimate concerns, on the contrary it raised more questions