I find it quite perplexing that what I am about to discuss is arguably the most compelling reason for everyone to explore Islam, yet it remains the least understood and discussed aspect of the religion—even among Muslims.
chance that you are unaware that, according to the Quran, a Rasool is someone through whom God punishes and rewards people right here on Earth
The Quran elaborately describes every step of how this judgment will be executed through Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for his imme-diate addressees. History demonstrates that events unfolded exactly as described in the Quran, down to the minutest details, on a global scale.
Another very intriguing aspect of the Quran’s scheme involving Rasools is that it recognizes all the major personalities of the Abrahamic tradition — namely Abraham, Lot, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad — as well as pre-Abrahamic figures like Noah, not just as Prophets or Nabis of God to guide humankind, but also as Messengers or Rasools to exe-cute His judgment on Earth. From the Quran’s perspective, the events surrounding Noah, Lot, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them) and their teachings are not mere regional phe-nomena. They represent an interconnected, singular, consistent, and coherent effort by God to guide humanity and demonstrate His divine judgment on Earth as proof of the forthcoming Judgment Day for all mankind. The Quranic views on this scheme of things appear to be perfectly supported by non-religious historical sources and, more im-portantly, by the Old and New Testament.
Let us now move forward and analyze the Quran’s perspective on Rasools. We will explore what the Quran says about this subject and why its explanations are morally, intellectually, and rationally sound. Additionally, we will examine how certain signs in our reality appear to support the Quran’s assertions.
1 – Why Does God Communicate Through Prophets and Messengers Instead of Directly Communicating with Everyone?
Before we move forward, let us briefly discuss the rationale the Quran presents for why God communicates with humanity through Prophets and Messengers instead of direct communication.
The Quran, in Chapter 42, Verse 51 and in many other locations, states that God communicates with people in three ways.
1) By instilling thoughts and messages to the mind
2) Direct communication through speech
3) Through Angels who give God’s message as revelation
According to the Quran, the direct means of communication—ei-ther through God speaking Himself or through angels bringing reve-lation—are used only for individuals who are Prophets and Messengers of God on specific missions. I always wondered, why does God need to do that? Why not speak directly to everyone? The Quran provides an answer that makes rational sense and is supported by what we under-stand about our reality.
Although we will discuss in detail what the Quran says about human purpose later, it’s important to note here that one of the most crucial aspects of our purpose is the freedom to choose whether we want to perform good or bad deeds (Quran 2:256). According to the Quran, to provide this absolute freedom, God, angels, and their realm have been hidden from us (Quran 2:210, 6:8, 6:158, 15:7, 25:22, 26:4, 16:28, 32:12).
Hence, God communicates indirectly with the masses through Prophets and Messengers, providing guidance to those who seek it while also maintaining freedom of choice.
But then, what about the Prophets and Messengers? If they com-municate directly with the Divine, what becomes of their freedom of choice? The Quran states that one of the traits of those chosen to be Prophets and Messengers of God for specific missions was that they were the best in character among people (Quran 68:4). However, once made a Prophet or a Messenger, the stakes become ever higher because the invisible realm is partially or completely made visible to them, leaving little room for excuses. Once that realm is directly visible, the reward for good is doubled, but on the other end of the spectrum, if the Prophet or Messenger does something wrong, even in the slightest manner, the consequences are immediate, and the severity of conse-quences is doubled for them (Quran 17:75). It’s akin to running a red light while knowing a sergeant is watching—you would be fined double the normal amount.
According to the Quran, God made direct contact with those He chose as Prophets (Nabis) and Messengers (Rasools) to communicate to the masses through them. These appointed figures are given access to the hidden realm, ensuring they are certain of who and what they follow, leaving no room for doubt. For everyone else, death is the mo-ment when the invisible becomes visible, and the freedom to choose no longer exists (Quran 50:22).
Why Keeping the Divine Realm Hidden Makes Sense
If you do not believe in any God, just suppose for a moment that this entire framework involving God and our exercise of free will is true. Logically speaking, it would make sense for God, angels, and that entire realm to be concealed from us. Otherwise, how could we possibly possess the freedom to choose wrongly? Imagine living in the direct presence of such overwhelming beings like God and angels, facing immediate consequences for any misdeed—would anyone in their right mind dare to commit wrongdoing? The obvious answer is no. Human nature dictates that we do not break laws when we know an authority is watching and will impose consequences for violations. Therefore, if the concept of God and our freedom of choice is valid, it is reasonable for God and that realm to remain hidden from us, allowing us the absolute freedom to choose between good and evil.
Support for the Idea of Hidden Realms from Our Knowable Reality
For many of us, any idea from religion becomes more palatable when it is supported by science. Consider the following two statements:
1) God has concealed most of existence from us to preserve our freedom of choice.
2) Science informs us that we are unaware of what constitutes 96% of the universe—it remains invisible to us.
For someone with a skeptical mind like mine, the second statement might sound more palatable, even though it conveys a message similar to the first. The idea that God has concealed most of reality from us finds some parallel in our understanding of the universe. The matter and forces that constitute everything in the universe account for only about 4% of its total composition; the remaining 96% consists of elements that we cannot see, measure, or directly perceive. What appears to us as empty space is filled with substances about which we know nothing. We don’t know what this substance is or where exactly it exists, but we are certain of its existence because we observe its effects on visible matter. This elusive substance is referred to by scientists as “Dark Matter” and “Dark Energy,” with the term ‘Dark’ emphasizing our complete lack of understanding about its nature. Thus, according to science, most of existence remains unseen, undetectable, and unknowable to us.
A word of caution: I am not suggesting that dark matter and dark energy are realms of God and angels. Rather, I am merely pointing out that the religious notion that God has hidden most of existence from us finds some support in our current scientific understanding.
Let us now turn to the Quran’s extraordinary accounts of the Rasools.
2 – In the Beginning, All Humans Believed In One Same Truth
To fully grasp the extraordinary nature of events involving Muhammad (PBUH), it is essential to start our exploration from where the Quran begins its narrative—with the inception of modern humans. I will delve into the Quranic account of the creation of Adam and Eve in greater detail later, and it might surprise you; it’s not what most people expect. For now, let’s focus on the Quran’s assertion that at the dawn of hu-mankind, everyone adhered to one same truth about God and divine accountability in the afterlife.
A Basic Sense of Right and Wrong Is Embedded Within Humans
I once believed that religion posited humans had no inherent knowledge of right and wrong, and that it was scripture that informed them of these concepts. This belief led me to question the validity of religious claims, especially when considering morally upright individuals who do not follow any scripture. Contrary to this, the Quran asserts in 91:8 that a fundamental sense of right and wrong is intrinsic to humans. This as-sertion explains the presence of morally good people who do not adhere to any scripture. The idea that a basic sense of morality is innate aligns with the common human tendency to label actions as right or wrong, even though definitions of these terms may vary. Those lacking this moral sense or who exhibit a severe distortion in their sense of right and wrong are often labeled as insane, psychopaths, or sociopaths.
First Humans Were Contacted Directly by the Divine
According to Quran 2:31, the initial group of humans received direct communication from the divine, clarifying their origin and purpose. Thus, equipped with an inherent moral compass and explicit divine instructions, the first humans were fully aware of the Divine Truth. The Quran further states that whenever humanity strayed from this truth, God dispatched Prophets and scriptures to remind people of this guidance and to rectify any distortions that had emerged (Quran 2:213).
This truth, as outlined in various Quranic verses, encompasses be-lief in one supreme God, angels, an afterlife, judgment in that afterlife based on the moral choices made in this life, and a consequential good or bad outcome in that judgment based on the life lived in this world.
The Quran Explains the Existence of So Many Different Religion
The Quran explains the existence of many religions and mythologies by stating that over time, people began to deviate from the truth for various reasons, such as mutual animosity and worldly benefits, leading societies to indulge in paganism and idol worship (Quran 2:213; 25:18). People started worshiping Jinns and angels alongside God, creating mythologies around them by attributing sons and daughters to the divine (Quran 6:100; 34:41). According to the Quran, all of humanity originally knew the basic truths about God and existence; they were on the path of monotheism but gradually shifted towards polytheism and idol worship.
Support of Quran’s Idea from Our Knowable Reality
In its stories of Rasools, the Quran asserts that all humanity was on the path of truth before divisions arose. Essentially, the divine book suggests that all Abrahamic faiths, and indeed most of the religious beliefs, are offshoots and mutations of a single truth. This makes sense because human beings tend to divide over beliefs, even if the foundation of those beliefs is unanimously agreed upon. Consider Muslims, for example. Muslims have the Quran, which they unanimously accept as the final book of God that clearly explains all matters related to beliefs, yet Muslims are divided into numerous sects with vastly differing views.
On the other hand, a competing hypothesis—mainly from non-re-ligious circles—suggests that human beings started off as a clean slate and gradually began to invent spirits, gods, and an afterlife to explain their existence and make sense of death and the mysterious reality around them.
Which hypothesis is true? The one presented by the Quran or the competing one? Anatomically modern humans have been around for about 200,000 years. Unfortunately, we cannot use a time machine to go back and discover what the earliest humans thought about the divine. Additionally, there are no written records older than about 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, when writing was invented. Many academics who assert that humanity began with paganism and idol worship base their argument on archaeological findings like statues and icons of gods and goddesses discovered in the ruins of many ancient societies. However, before the invention of writing, what kind of archaeological footprint could pure monotheism possibly leave? The answer is none. In pure monotheism, there are no idols, icons, or sym-bols to worship, which archaeologists could unearth to conclude that a particular society practiced monotheism. Monotheism would not leave any footprint in the absence of writing.
So, is there anything in our knowable reality that can provide us with a clue to help us decide if the Quranic claim that all humanity initially shared a single belief is true or not? Yes, there is.
Similarities in Beliefs – A Reason to Believe in the Quran’s Claim of Single Origin of Truth
There exists a strange, broad conceptual similarity in religious ideas among societies across the globe—societies that have absolutely no apparent rea-son to share these similarities, except for the possibility that these concepts might originate from a single source. As we discussed earlier, nearly every human culture, with very few exceptions, has had concepts of God or Gods, angels, and an afterlife.
Religion – the belief in supernatural beings, including gods and ghosts, angels and demons, souls and spirits – can be found throughout history and in every culture … Every known human culture has creation myths, with the possible exception of the Amazonian Pirahã people, who also lack number words, color words, and social hierarchy.23
Digging deeper in this direction, the Quranic claim gains more support. The Quran states that all humans initially knew the truth, which according to the Quran includes the existence of one God, an afterlife, accountability in that afterlife, and the reward of Paradise or punishment of Hell based on one’s conduct in this world. Now, let’s examine which cultures around the world have held similar beliefs.
What follows might seem like advanced academic research, but it is actually very basic research by a layman over the internet. You can open Google and search for phrases like “Religious beliefs of ancient cultures” and you will find most of what I am quoting on the first page of the search results. It is extremely important to note here that there is a vast variety of opinions and counter arguments from history experts on the matters I will discuss below, but I am only sharing with you an oversimplified view of things—a broad, general, simple understanding of things which a layperson will get when skimming through easily available material on this matter.
Firstly, let us discuss the major world beliefs of relatively recent times before we move to lesser-known and more ancient ones.
All of us are familiar with the Abrahamic religious tradition—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Although they differ in details, they all teach the same basics: There is one God. Humanity has an enemy from another life form commonly referred to as Satan, who has also been called “The Deceiver” in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Quran, who tricks humankind into committing evil deeds. There is divine accountability after death. In the afterlife, there is a good place (Heaven) and a bad place (Hell) for everyone, depending on how you conducted matters here on earth.
Zoroastrianism, preached by Zoroaster in Persia, taught the exact same principles, calling the one God “Ahura Mazda” and the devil “Angra Mainyu” or the “Evil Destructive Spirit”. There is divine ac-countability after death, resulting in a permanent good or bad outcome based on the life led in this world.24
Hinduism also teaches similar core principles. A morally good or bad life determines a positive or negative outcome after death, through reincarnation, ultimately leading to Moksha/Nirvana or liberation. Although there isn’t a singular devil figure, Hinduism includes the concept of Rakshasas—evil demons capable of taking various forms. While Hinduism is largely seen as a polytheistic religion today, the con-cept of a single God still exists in its scriptures. Consider the following verses from Hindu texts:
Before this world was manifest, there was only One existence, One existence without a second. – Chandogya Upanishad – Chapter 6, Section 2, Verse 1
To what is One, sages call by many names. – Rigveda – Book 1, Hymn 164, Verse 46
He cannot be seen, neither above, nor across, nor in the mid-dle. He is beyond grasp. There is no image true to His form. His name is glory itself. The senses cannot perceive Him. The mind cannot comprehend… His form is not visible. The eyes cannot see Him. But those who know Him as abiding in the heart—through their hearts and minds—become immor-tal. – Svetasvatara Upanishad – Chapter 4, Verse 19
Now let’s check out some lesser-known and more ancient beliefs.
Native Americans: Generally, Native Americans are known to worship one chief God and also seem to believe in angels. Thomas Harriot detailed his understanding on the matter in these words: …the Indians believed that there was one chief and great God, which has been from all eternity, but when he decided to create the world, he started out by making petty gods, to be used in the creation and government to follow.25
The Anishinaabeg, a group of indigenous tribes that are among the oldest inhabitants of North America, believe in the One God, re-ferring to it as the Gitche Manitou or “The Great Spirit.” Other Native American tribes also refer to the single chief God as Manitou or “Great Spirit.” Anishinaabeg view themselves as people ordained to live on the righteous path by their Creator, a concept similar to the “Straight Path” prescribed by the Quran. Among the Anishinaabeg and other Native American tribes, life must be led with good morals and values to ensure souls reach the spirit world—a good place—or the underworld, which is not a very good place. There is also the concept of a “Trickster” or “Deceiver.” Such figures are not always seen as bad by Native Americans because they often end up teaching good life lessons to the people.
“The Nanabozho”26 is the Deceiver for the Anishinaabeg27, whose goal is always to create problems for the people.
China:Not much is known about ancient Chinese beliefs before 2000 BC, but there is evidence that people worshiped one supreme God called “Shangdi.” The Supreme God was also referred to as “The Jade Emperor” in certain parts of China. There is also a concept of hell called “Diyu,” where souls are taken to atone for sins, and then there is the Heavenly Realm or Tian.28
The Chinese have their own version of Satanic forces—called the Mogwai. In present times, many Chinese associate the term with cer-tain spirits of their ancestors who are vengeful for some evil that was inflicted on them during their lifetime. However, ancient Chinese be-lieved that Mogwai are evil beings who wish to harm humans and aim to tempt humans to do evil things.29
Aboriginals:For many tribes of the Aboriginals, Baiame is the Supreme Creator Sky God, and there is also belief in spirits of nature and spirits of their ancestors who they believe created everything. There is also a vague concept of heaven. They believe that post-worldly death, the soul must reach the “Land of the Dead,” where entry seems to be dependent on how much the person participated in certain rituals in life or how well the mortuary rites were performed. So, although extremely vague, the concept of One God, Afterlife, and a good or bad conse-quence (being able to reach the land of the dead or not) is present, along with a notion that certain duties performed in this life will dictate one’s destiny in the afterlife.
The ancient Aboriginals believed that everything was created by the creators during the Dreamtime—a period before anything in our world existed. The creators also instructed humans on how to live to reach a good place after death. During the Dreamtime, the creators formed men, women, and animals, established the laws of the land, and dictated how people were to behave towards one another. They set the customs for food supply and distribution, rituals of initiation, ceremonies of death (which are required to be performed so that the spirit of the dead travels peacefully to their spirit-place), and the laws of marriage.30 The trickster figure also exists; the ancient Yolngu peo-ple believed that “Bamapana” is the trickster and deceiver who causes discord among humans.31
Ancient Egypt:Many deities were considered supreme gods and worshiped in ancient Egypt, with each dynasty often venerating its own supreme deity.
The supreme god of the first dynasty, “Ptah,” bears a striking re-semblance to the traditional concept of a monotheistic god. Ptah is described as the eternal uncreated creator of everything, the begetter of the first beginning, the one who listens to prayers, the lord of truth, and the master of justice.32
The concept of the feather of Maat also existed, stating that after death, individuals are presented for accountability before the divine. Their hearts are measured against the feather of truth and justice, de-termining whether the souls of the departed would successfully reach the paradise of the afterlife.33 Yoruba Religion in Africa:Known to have existed for thousands of years, the Yoruba religion includes the concept of a supreme god called Olorun or Olodumare, and the concept of angels, referred to as Irunmole. Followers of the Yoruba religion strive to achieve perfection and find their destiny in Orun-Rere (the spiritual realm of those who do good and beneficial things). As per an article on britannica.com:
Generally speaking, African religions hold that there is one creator God, the maker of a dynamic universe. Myths of various African peoples relate that, after setting the world in motion, the Supreme Being withdrew, and he remains remote from the concerns of human life.34
Many African religious belief systems include the concept of a “Deceiver” or “Trickster” who, despite often being portrayed as evil, is sometimes considered good. Regardless of moral alignment, the role of someone who deceives and tricks to achieve their goals is prevalent in many ancient African belief systems.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica,
The trickster is a prevalent type of mythic character in African mythology. Tricksters overturn convention and are notorious for pursuing their insatiable appetites and shame-less lusts, even at the price of disaster.35
Norse Mythology:Not much is known in detail about the beliefs of the ancient Scandinavian people, but they appear to have had a vague concept of a Supreme God whom they called Odin.
Norse heaven is known as “Valhalla” described as “the hall of slain warriors, who live blissfully under the leadership of the god Odin.”36
And there is the concept of Hell known as Niflheim referred to as a “cold, dark, misty world of the dead…. a place into which evil men pass after reaching the region of death.”37 The trickster figure is also present and is called “Loki”. He is not mentioned as particularly good or bad but his main aim was always to create chaos.38
Greek Mythology: Zeus is the supreme god for the ancient Greeks. Elysium is the paradise to which heroes, on whom the gods conferred immortality, were sent.39 The “Underworld” is the ancient Greek ver-sion of hell.40 There is also the character of the Trickster, known as “Prometheus”—the Supreme Trickster.41 Prometheus commands Dolos, the spirit of deception, along with Pseudea, the spirit of lies.42
Although the details of the beliefs and mythological stories from the above-mentioned cultures are vastly different from one another, they all share broad, general conceptual similarities—such as the concept of one Supreme God or Creator, an afterlife, and moral consequences in that afterlife based on one’s actions in this life. Additionally, there is often the figure of the Trickster or Deceiver, an entity mainly intent on mis-leading humans and tempting them into committing wrongful deeds. Why do cultures across the world share these similarities in ideas? The very existence of such concepts in almost every human society suggests a common origin, as there appears to be no other reason why nearly every human culture would independently develop these concepts. Nothing in our psychology or external environment indicates that all humans were destined to think in this specific direction and to develop such ideas to explain reality. For me, this supports the Quranic claim of a singular message that has deteriorated over hundreds of thousands of years into varied religious beliefs and mythological stories, which, despite their differing details, retain broad conceptual similarities.
3 – Nabis (Prophets) of God Are Sent to Humankind
The Holy Quran advances the narrative, explaining that when human-ity began to stray from the truth, God reached out to righteous individ-uals from various nations, dubbing them “Nabi” or “Prophet of God.” These appointed prophets were tasked with guiding people back to the truth and rectifying any distortions that had emerged (Quran 2:213).
Vague Concepts of Prophets of God Throughout Human History
The Holy Quran posits that all of humanity was familiar with the concept of God’s Prophets, but most Prophets were rejected by their people and did not garner any notable worldly following (37:71-72). This claim aligns with historical observations that, on a conceptual level, humanity has indeed been familiar with the idea of individuals in touch with the divine to guide humankind. Hence, we see concepts like Shamans, Rishis, and Sages across all human cultures. However, there are sparse records of specific personalities who were messengers of God, with few exceptions like the Sages of Hinduism, Prophet Zoroaster of Zoroastrianism, and the Prophets from the Abrahamic tradition.
According to the Quran’s narrative, once humanity strayed from the truth, God sent Prophets to nations, most of whom were rejected. Accepting or rejecting a Prophet’s message carried no worldly conse-quences, as divine accountability for each individual is to be carried out after death on the “Day of Judgment.”
After the Prophets, God sent Messengers who were not only sent to guide people but also, accepting or rejecting them carried profound worldly consequences.
This brings us to our main topic of focus—the concept of a Rasool of God!
4 – The Rasools (Messengers) of God
For a detailed discussion and references pertaining to the messengers of God, and specifically Muhammad (PBUH) as a messenger of God, please refer to the following playlist on the YouTube channel “Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning.” (Playlist titled: “Response to 23 Questions – Itmam e Hujjat – Javed Ahmed Ghamidi”)43
Nabi (Prophet) and Rasool (Messenger) are Two Different Offices
A “Rasool” literally means a Messenger or an Emissary. All Rasools are Nabis, or Prophets of God, meaning they receive direct communication from God. However, the Quran makes a distinction between the two offices of Nabi and Rasool (Prophet and Messenger), as it employs these two terms distinctly. The Quran states:
Whenever I (God) sent a Rasool (Messenger) or a Nabi (Prophet) before you (O Muhammad) – he recited my reve-lations to people… (Quran 22:52)
Muslim scholars acknowledge that the terms “Nabi” (Prophet) and “Rasool” (Messenger) refer to two distinct offices. Scholars such as Ibn-e-Ashoor and Zamakhshari have discussed how a Nabi does not bring any new book or laws, whereas a Rasool brings a new book and laws from God. However, this distinction presents a problem because, although the Quran identifies Jesus as a Rasool, Jesus stated that he followed the law of Moses and did not introduce any new divine laws. Maulana Maududi, addressing this issue, concedes that even though, according to the Quran, Nabi and Rasool are different statuses, there is ongoing debate among Muslim scholars about the exact differences, and no conclusive answer has yet been reached.
In this regard, scholars such as Amin Ahsan Islahi and Javed Ghamidi have accurately identified what a Rasool of God truly rep-resents according to the Quran. These scholars have conducted ex-tensive work in this area in their literature. For me, understanding the correct concept of a Rasool of God is the master key to correctly grasping most of the key concepts of Islam.
Correct Concept of the Messenger of God – God’s Divine Court of Judgment on Earth
According to the Quran, a Nabi is a Prophet, someone who delivers God’s message to the people. Some prophets receive books from God, which are meant to serve the purpose of settling disputes about reli-gion among people after the Nabi dies (Quran 2:213). Accepting or rejecting a Nabi carries no worldly consequences. However, a Rasool is a Messenger – accepting his message or unjustly rejecting his message will carry very profound worldly consequences for the addressees of the Rasool. The Quran states:
For every nation there is a Rasool. Once their Rasool comes to them – judgment is passed on them in all fairness and they are not wronged even in the least manner. (Quran 10:47)
I (God) do not punish a society until I send among them a Rasool. (Quran 17:15)
Your Lord does not punish a society until He sends a Rasool to the main city of that nation – who recites to them God’s message and revelations. (Quran 28:59)
According to the Quran, all societies to which Rasools were sent, each had their own set of evils prevalent among them, but the reason for worldly punishment was their rejection of God’s Rasool sent to them. (Quran 16:112-113; 69:10; 64:5-6).
This resolves a longstanding question for me. As I mentioned ear-lier, I used to wonder if, when God punished individuals on Earth for their sins—such as in the flood of Noah or the rain of fire and stones on the people of Lot—why doesn’t God punish people in modern times for their sins, especially in cities where sin has been openly preached and practiced for centuries? The Quran solves this puzzle by clearly stating that, generally, people will be judged for their sins on the Day of Judgment. However, the crime of rejecting a living Rasool (Messenger) of God carries worldly punishment for those who are the immediate recipients of that Rasool’s message.
Some scholars have argued that the judgment or punishment men-tioned in these verses is not worldly punishment; instead, it refers to re-ward and punishment on the Day of Judgment. However, the context of these verses does not support this idea. For example, in verses 48 and 49 of chapter 10, as cited above, it becomes clear that the punishment being discussed is definitely worldly punishment, because in these verses when people asked that when will this judgment come to pass, Muhammad (PBUH) is told to say that each nation has a pre-ordained time frame or an interlude, and once this time is over, the judgment is imposed upon them. Specifically, in Surah al-Hijr, verse 4, it is stated that societies are allotted a preordained time before the proclaimed judgment is inflicted upon them. Furthermore, Muhammad is told in various passages, in-cluding Surah al-Ra’ad verse 40, al-Ghafir verse 77, and Yunus verse 46, that God may show him some aspects of this judgment during his lifetime and reveal other parts after his death. These revelations clarify that the judgment discussed in the Quran, particularly concerning the recipients of the message, is a worldly one. This implies that among the immediate recipients of the message, those who reject and persecute the messenger will certainly face punishment on the Day of Judgment, but they will also endure punishment here on earth. Many traditional scholars, including Zamakhshari, Bayzaavi, and Abu Hayaan, concur that the judgment mentioned in these verses pertains to worldly judg-ment and regard the opposing view as secondary.
The role of God’s Messengers, or Rasools, is succinctly summarized in Surah Ibrahim, verses 13 to 15, and Surah al-Anbiya, verses 6 to 9. These verses illustrate that the Rasools presented their messages to their communities but were unjustly rejected and faced threats and persecu-tion. Consequently, divine judgment was imposed on those rejectors, resulting in the salvation of the Rasools and their followers, while those who opposed them faced elimination.
Rasools not only bring punishment for the deniers, but they also bring worldly rewards for their followers. The Quran states in 7:96 that those who accept Rasool’s message are rewarded in this world. Furthermore, in 14:14, the Quran asserts that once the enemies of the Rasool are eliminated, those who accept and support the Rasool are granted worldly rewards in the form of authority on Earth.
Hence, there is worldly punishment from God for the deniers and persecutors of the Rasools and a reward for those who accept and sup-port the Rasool.
5 – The Kind of People the God of the Quran Has Issues With and Why It Makes Sense
Rejecting a Rasool of God carries worldly punishment for the imme-diate audience of the Rasool. This fact raised a question in my mind. If I happen to be among the immediate addressees of a Rasool, will God punish me if, despite lending a sincere ear to the Rasool, I don’t accept the Rasool’s message for very justified reasons—for example, if some aspect of the message didn’t make moral or rational sense to me? The Quran says no! Let me explain.
The Quran insists that for the immediate addressees of the Rasool, God makes the truth clear beyond all doubt. To achieve such clarity, God employs various means. For instance, the impeccable personal-ity and character of the Rasool, along with his profound arguments, leave no room for any valid counterarguments. Moreover, the Rasool is granted miracles, and external political and military circumstances unfold in a way that supports his claims, adding further credence to his message. Consequently, through the power of arguments, the character of the Rasool, miracles, and supportive external events, an environment is created where the truth becomes unmistakably clear to the Rasool’s immediate addressees. Those who deny it are typically motivated by unjustifiable reasons. For example, they may reject a Rasool due to negligence or because they perceive the message as contrary to their worldly benefits, desires, traditions, or ego.
The Quran proclaims that you will not be punished as long as your intentions are sincere and genuine, and until you wrongfully and un-justly reject a Rasool’s message. This is clearly stated in the following verse:
Your Lord would never destroy a society until He sends to its capital a Rasool…He does not inflict punishment unless its people become Zalimooon – (meaning people who knowingly and deliberately persist in wrongful and unjust behavior and deeds) (Quran 28:59).
In the Quran, in verses 9:70 and 14:45, God states that societies to which messengers were sent were destroyed when the people “wronged their own selves.” This term refers to when people commit wrongdoings while fully aware that their actions are incorrect.
Furthermore, in the Quran 40:5, God states that those who became subject to God’s punishment among the addressees of Rasools were those people who “Wajadaloo bil Batili,” meaning they rejected truth for unjustified and false reasons.
Similarly, lying and arrogance are unacceptable to God. The Quran contains many instances where God declares that arrogance is not ac-ceptable. For instance, in Quran 40:60, it is proclaimed that those who reject God’s message due to arrogance will be doomed. Additionally, the very first verse where God addresses the first humans indicates that prophets and messengers will come to guide them should they deviate from the truth. Here, people are instructed not to “Kazzaboo” (lie about their misunderstanding of the message) and not to “Wastakbaroo” (arrogantly refuse to accept what they know deep down as truth). Muhammad (PBUH) further clarifies what “Takkabur,” or arrogance, means in a Hadith:
Arrogance is refusing to accept something you know as truth and to look down upon people (Sahih of Muslim, No: 91).
The God of the Quran takes significant issue with individuals who recognize the truth from God yet reject it for unjustified reasons. Let us examine some examples from the Quran where God condemns people for dismissing His message, despite knowing deep down that it indeed represents Divine Truth.
The Quran, in 27:14, states that Pharaoh and his people rejected Moses despite being deeply convinced in their hearts that he was sent by God.
The Quran proclaims that the Meccan polytheists were aware of God’s blessings upon them, yet they acted ungratefully and denied His message (Quran 16:83).
The God of the Quran proclaims about a segment of Jews and Christians among the immediate addresses of Muhammad (PBUH): “Those people to whom I (God) have given scripture (Jews & Christians) recognize this Prophet as they recognize their own children, but a group of them knowingly hides the truth” (Quran 2:146).
Some among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) of that time are also condemned for “knowingly hiding the truth” (Quran 3:71).
Quran 6:28 states that the people of hell will be those who used to “hide the truth” during their worldly life.
The Quran 7:9 states that on Judgment Day, the losers will be those who “wrongfully rejected” God’s guidance—or rejected God’s guidance for unjustified or wrongful reasons. The Quran 47:32 specifically calls out those who oppose God and His Messenger after “guidance has become clear” to them.
In the Quran, 27:14, those people are condemned whose hearts are convinced of the truth regarding God, but they still deny it wrongfully and arrogantly.
Who is a Kafir?
The primary term used in the Quran for those who reject God’s mes-sengers is “Kafir,” which broadly means someone who denies or covers up the truth. In the Quran, individuals are called Kafirs or Deniers specifically if they have openly declared their rejection of the message delivered by Muhammad (PBUH). However, the term Kafir encom-passes more than just denial. It also connotes ungratefulness and arro-gance, reflecting a deeper significance in its usage within the Quran.
The word “Kafir” is derived from the root K-F-R, which was used by Arabs in pre-Islamic times to describe farmers who covered seeds in the soil—essentially burying them. Much like how farmers conceal seeds in the ground, the term “Kafir” also refers to a person who hides the truth, someone who denies the truth while knowing deep down that it is indeed the truth.44
Hence, a Kafir is someone who denies the truth but also someone who hides the truth. In other words, it implies a person who refuses to accept the truth for unjustified reasons.
The Quran clearly states that through a Rasool, God makes the truth unequivocally clear to His immediate addressees. Once this clarity is achieved, those who reject the Rasool do so for unjustified reasons and thus become eligible for God’s punishment. Let us consider a few examples of specific unjustified reasons the rejectors of the Rasools used in response to God’s message. 1) The Quran condemns those who reject God’s verses without even trying to understand them (Quran 27:84).
2) Refusal to accept the truth unless God speaks directly to the elite of society (43:31).
3) Refusing to accept the truth because it contradicts one’s worldly benefits and desires (53:29, 5:48).
4) People who refuse to listen and do not sincerely use their intel- lect and reason (67:10, 8:22).
5) Refusal to accept the truth because it contradicts their traditions or ancestral beliefs (14:10, 7:70).
6) Refusal to accept the truth based on reason, instead demanding supernatural explanations (6:124, 17:89-93).
7) Refusing to accept the truth based solely on reason because the messenger is merely a human with no supernatural abilities (21:1-3, 17:94, 25:7-8, 14:10).
8) The refusal to accept the truth because it is followed only by the poor and weak (26:111, 13:27).
9) Some segments of Jews are condemned for not accepting Muhammad (PBUH) as a Prophet of God, solely because he did not belong to their nation (Quran 2:87-90).
The entire Quran is filled with verses discuss reasons which God deems unjustified for rejecting His message.
It makes Sense for God to Punish Rejecters
Suppose the entire scheme of the Quran regarding God’s Rasools is true; it is both rational and morally justifiable that people should be punished for rejecting God’s Rasool for the unjustified reasons men-tioned in the Quran.
A Brief Note on Branding Others as Kafir
Only God knows what is in the hearts of people! Since prophets and messengers are directly in touch with God, they are told directly by God about whoever is rejecting the truth for unjustified reasons.
According to the Quran, Muhammad (PBUH) is the last Prophet and Messenger of God. After him, we cannot declare anyone as a Kafir because we are unable to look into someone’s heart to determine the precise reason why they are rejecting the divine message. Perhaps that person was exposed to a distortion of the truth, rather than the actual truth—which is quite possible considering the numerous, often con-tradictory interpretations of Islam. It is also possible that the person is rejecting the truth because the arguments presented have not satisfied them morally, intellectually, or rationally. Additionally, they might be facing such significant struggles in life that they cannot spare sufficient time and energy to seek out the truth. So, in a nutshell, we cannot ask God directly or look into a person’s heart to determine if that individual is rejecting a message for sincere reasons or for unjustified reasons.
God communicated directly with Muhammad (PBUH) and his immediate followers. After Muhammad (PBUH), the determination of who is a Kafir and who is not will only be made on the Day of Judgment. Therefore, all those who reject Islam today are simply non-believers and cannot be branded as Kafirs.
I hope that, so far, the Quran’s narrative of Rasools is making as much rational and moral sense to you as it did for me.
6 – Noah (PBUH) – The First Rasool
The story of Prophet Noah (PBUH) is mentioned in numerous places throughout the Quran. I will use only a few verses to support my points.
The Holy Quran does not attribute a specific timeline to Noah (PBUH), but the way the Quran discusses him suggests that he was the first Rasool sent to his people (Quran 4:163; 14:9). Noah (PBUH) opposed the polytheism and idol worship prevalent in his nation, calling his followers to worship one God and seeking moral reformation. The chiefs of Noah’s (PBUH) nation dismissed his message, disregarding logic and reason (Quran 71:5-7). They also ridiculed him with objec-tions such as questioning how Noah could be sent by God without pos-sessing supernatural powers, or why only the poor and lowly followed him if he were truly sent by God (Quran 11:27; 23:24; 26:111). They even threatened to stone Noah (PBUH) to death if he did not cease his preaching (Quran 26:116). According to the divine law concerning His Rasools as outlined in the Quran, Noah’s (PBUH) entire nation was eradicated by a flood due to their opposition and persecution of God’s Rasool. The few followers who accepted and supported Noah’s (PBUH) message were rewarded by being saved on a boat and later granted au-thority over the land (Quran 11:40; 26:119-120; 7:64; 10:73).
The Quran does not specify the exact location of Noah’s (PBUH) nation and it also does not specify a timeline for the events concerning Noah (PBUH) or his nation, yet it distinctly states that Noah’s (PBUH) flood was not a global event but a regional one intended to eliminate the rejecters among his immediate audience. I will delve into this point more thoroughly later. For the moment, the question arises: can we scientifically or historically confirm whether Noah (PBUH) truly ex-isted, and if a regional flood wiped out his people? There is no scientific method available to either confirm or refute these claims.
But there is hope. The Quran makes a very intriguing claim about Noah’s (PBUH) story, which might provide evidence that there is some truth to the Quran’s account of Noah (PBUH).
God says in the Quran that the story of Noah (PBUH) was pre-served by Him in collective human memory and was made to be “a sign” and “a remembrance” for later generations of humankind (Quran 25:37; 69:12; 37:78). Even though the Quran narrates the stories of many Rasools after Noah, it makes this particular claim only about Noah’s (PBUH) story. Indeed, this is a very strange claim. So, is the story of Noah (PBUH) present in our collective human memory? Yes, it is.
Noah’s (PBUH) story is indeed present in numerous cultures across the globe, which seems to support the Quranic claim. These stories vary in detail but share general conceptual similarities, suggesting a common origin. This specific claim of the Quran about Noah’s (PBUH) story is intriguing and lends more credence to the idea of the Quran’s divine origin, because Muhammad (PBUH) could not have possibly known that from China to India, and all the way to North America, Africa, and Australia, almost all cultures have a flood story with broad similarities.
We know that Noah’s (PBUH) story is present, with minor differ-ences, in Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Let’s analyze a few cultures across the globe and their flood stories.
Analysis of Flood Stories Present in Almost All Cultures Across the World
Native American Flood Stories: The story of Waynaboozhoo and the Great Flood asserts that either God or the Great Spirit, displeased with humanity, sent a vast flood to eradicate them. A man named Waynaboozhoo survived by constructing a raft and subsequently re-made the earth.45
Norse Flood Story: The earth is flooded with the blood of a giant killed by God Odin. Only a “Frost Giant” survives with his wife on a boat and repopulates the earth.46
Chinese Flood Story: A few children do a favor for the thunder god who, in return, warns them of an impending flood. He provides them with a gourd to use as a boat for their escape. The occupants of the gourd are saved from the flood by the thunder god and they repopulate the earth.47 Hindu Flood Story: A man named Manu did a favor for a fish which, according to some versions, was an avatar of the god Vishnu. After Manu saves the fish, it transforms into a deity and informs him that humanity will be destroyed by a flood. Manu is instructed to build a boat. He survives the flood and later repopulates the earth.48
Greek Flood Story:The god Zeus became angry with humanity and sent a great flood to wipe it out. Zeus saved a man named Deucalion and his wife, who later repopulated the earth.49
Flood Story of Ancient Mesopotamia: In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the great gods in the heavens decide to flood the earth and destroy humankind. One of the gods shares this plan with a man named Utnapishtim and tells him to build a boat to save himself. Utnapishtim follows the instructions and constructs a boat. Along with some fellow humans and a variety of animals, he boards the boat. A great flood came and annihilated the land. Utnapishtim, his wife, and their few followers were saved and blessed by the god Enlil.
According to the Sumerian flood myth, “the human race, which the gods had created to do their work, became so numerous and noisy that the god Enlil sent a flood to destroy it. However, another god, Enki, wanted to save King Ziusudra (King Atrahasis in some versions). Forbidden by Enlil to warn the king directly, Enki spoke to the king’s reed house instead. The king overheard the warning, built a boat, and saved his family and a collection of animals.”50,51
Egyptian Flood Story: The Egyptian flood narrative involves the god Ra and his daughter Sekhmet. Ra sought to eliminate humanity af-ter they became rebellious against him and sent Sekhmet to accomplish this. After Sekhmet had unleashed substantial death and destruction, the gods flooded the earth with wine to intoxicate her, thereby halting her rampage. This allowed the survivors to begin life anew.52 Flood Story of the Hawaiian People: The flood story of the native people of Hawaii bears a striking resemblance to the story of Noah; the man in the story even shares Noah’s name, specifically called Nu. In this narrative, God commanded Nu to build a boat. Nu and his family are saved, while humanity is destroyed by a flood.53
African Flood Story: Many ancient tribes in Africa had their own flood stories, with remarkable similarities to that of Noah. One example is the flood story of the Maasai tribe.
According to the flood story of the Maasai, there came a time when humanity had become so corrupt that God decided to cleanse the earth with a flood. There was a righteous man named Tumbainot. He was commanded by God to build a boat and place some animals and his family onboard. They were saved from the flood.54
I have highlighted examples from cultures around the world to establish the authenticity of the Quran’s claim that God embedded the story of Noah (PBUH) in collective human memory. I find this remarkable that the Quran narrates stories of many Rasools, but it specifically claims that Noah’s (PBUH) story serves as a remembrance for all humankind. This claim proves to be very accurate, as Noah’s (PBUH) story appears in some form in almost every human culture, with very few exceptions.
As an aside, for those who doubt the divine origin of the Quran, consider its account of Noah’s story (PBUH). The Quran remarkably claims that Noah’s narrative is recognized in cultures worldwide, not just in Arabia or neighboring regions. This raises an intriguing question: how could Muhammad (PBUH) have possibly known about the global pervasiveness of Noah’s story? It’s a thought-provoking point.
So far, in my opinion, whatever the Quran states in its account of the Rasools seems plausible and backed by evidence. Let’s continue exploring the Quran’s narrative of the Rasools.
7 – Phase 1 of God’s Plan Regarding Rasools: Individual Rasools
After Noah, the God of the Quran initiates what I call Phase 1 of God’s plan regarding Rasools, in which individual Rasools were sent to various nations (Quran 10:47; 17:15; 28:59). The Quran mentions some Rasools, but others remain known only to God (Quran 25:38; 14:9).
It appears from the Quran that individual Rasools were sent to dif-ferent nations as humanity spread across small settlements. As humanity progressed into the era of nations and civilizations, Phase 2 of God’s plan was initiated. In this phase, individual Rasools were replaced by nations tasked with practicing and preaching God’s message. For this purpose, the progeny of Abraham (PBUH) was chosen by God. While there is no specific timeline for Abraham’s (PBUH) existence, Biblical scholars generally place him around 4,000 years ago, which coincides with humanity’s transition into the age of civilization.
Historical Verification of Rasools Before Abraham
Before moving forward, let’s address a common question: Can we his-torically verify that individual Rasools appeared in all nations before Abraham? Unfortunately, due to the limited recorded history of about 5500 years, there is no way to historically ascertain whether individuals arrived in all nations worldwide claiming to be Rasools or Messengers of God, or if nations were destroyed for unjustly rejecting their Rasools.
Why Does the Quran Mention Only Specific Messengers from the Middle East?
The Quran while stating that Rasools were sent to all nations before Abraham, mentions stories of very few specific Rasools (Saleh, Hudd, Lot, etc.) and Quran says that the reason for mentioning these specific Rasools and their stories is that the immediate audience of the Quran (Arabian Polytheists, Jews, and Christians) were already familiar with these stories. (Quran 54:4).
8 – Phase 2 of God’s Plan Regarding Rasools: Raising Nations from Abraham’s Progeny
According to the Quran, there are two phases in the story of Rasools. In the first phase, individual Rasools (Messengers) are sent to their nations (Quran 10:47, 17:15, 28:59). In the second phase, Messenger-hood is made exclusive to a select group of people, and through these Messengers of God, nations are raised to practice and preach God’s message to the world. For this purpose, God chose the progeny of Abraham (PBUH) (Quran 29:27; 3:33).
Abraham (PBUH), a Rasool of God sent to his people, was rejected and persecuted (Quran 29:24). However, Abraham (PBUH) was saved, and his people were destroyed. The Quran does not specify a timeline for Abraham (PBUH). Additionally, Abraham was given another mis-sion. As the starting point of Phase 2 of Rasools, two nations would be raised from his children—one through Isaac (PBUH) and one through Ishmael (PBUH). These nations would practice and preach God’s mes-sage to the world.
Why Quran’s Two-Pronged Approach to Rasools Makes Sense?
The Quran’s two phases, along with the roles of Rasools, make sense considering human society has evolved in two main stages. Initially, individual Rasools were sufficient for delivering God’s message when humanity consisted of small tribal settlements. For the majority of its existence, up until around 5 to 6 thousand years ago, humanity was primarily made up of small tribal villages and towns. However, as the age of civilization dawned, the scope of God’s work expanded. It be-came a sensible approach for God to raise entire nations to keep His message vibrant in an era when humanity was transitioning from small settlements to kingdoms and empires.
First Nation from the Offspring of Isaac (PBUH): Moses (PBUH) and the Exodus
Isaac’s (PBUH) descendants lived in the Canaan area, and they migrated to Egypt, where the Biblical and Quranic story of Joseph (PBUH) un-folded. The children of Isaac (PBUH) were enslaved by the Egyptians and were not yet tasked with any divine duty of practicing and preach-ing God’s message to the world as a nation. That divine mission would commence with the onset of Moses (PBUH)!
Moses (PBUH) is identified as God’s Rasool to Pharaoh and his people. God’s law manifests through Moses (PBUH). He is assured that he and his supporters will prevail over those who oppose him (Quran 28:35), and that the Israelites will be saved and made leaders of the land (Quran 28:5). While the Israelites accept Moses as a Rasool, he faces rejection from Pharaoh. Those who reject the Rasool, persecute him, and fight him – that is, Pharaoh and his people – face divine punishment (Quran 8:54). In contrast, those who accept the Rasool and support him, namely the Israelites, are saved and rewarded by God, as He granted them kingdom and authority on earth (Quran 7:129; 7:137; 5:21).
The details of this divine mission are mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy 20:1-20, where the Israelites are informed that they have been granted the land of Canaan and its surrounding areas. They are instructed to cleanse the land of all pagan beliefs and dedicate it exclu-sively to the practice and preaching of the religion of one God. For this purpose, all pagan nations in Canaan are expected to vacate the area or face absolute and total destruction. The presence of pagan nations among the Israelites is viewed as a threat to the all-important divine mission, as it jeopardizes the purity of the monotheistic message that the Israelites are meant to practice and preach to the world as a nation on behalf of God.
The Controversial Biblical Order and Its Justification
The Biblical command to annihilate the pagans in Canaan is often per-ceived as cruel and unjustified. However, when viewed in its historical context, it can be understood differently.
1. The Israelites generally adhered to a strict moral code of war, of- fering peace to their enemies before engaging in battle. If peace was rejected, only armed men could be fought and killed, while women and children had to be spared (Deuteronomy 20:10-14). 2 . Canaan was the area given to the Israelites as a land where they could establish themselves as a nation with the sole mission of practicing and preaching God’s message to the world. Only in the case of Canaan did God command the complete annihila- tion of all pagans who did not leave. The reason for this was that their presence among The Israelites posed a severe threat to the purity of God’s message—and understandably so! Picture this: events were unfolding in a world where polytheistic pagan beliefs and practices predominated, while only a small group of Israelites upheld monotheism. Now, if the God of Abraham’s doctrine holds true, consider the apocalyptic significance of the mission to be the sole custodian of God’s true message in a world riddled with false beliefs. Reflect on the responsibility of preserving the purity of God’s message through many fu- ture generations, and the duty of proclaiming it worldwide for centuries to come. In this context, if pagans were allowed to reside among the Israelites, there would be a very real risk that over years and decades, these pagans and their beliefs could gradually infiltrate and blend with the true message of God, bringing with them mythologies and practices deemed immoral by God. Thus, it makes sense for God to decree that all pagans in Canaan be annihilated if they do not depart.
Archeological Evidence of Joseph (PBUH), Moses (PBUH) & the Exodus:
Contrary to the belief that there is no physical evidence of Joseph (PBUH), Moses (PBUH), or the Exodus, the documentary “Decoding the Exodus” by Simcha Jacobovici, produced by James Cameron, pres-ents compelling archaeological proof of their existence.55 This evidence challenges the notion that there is no historical basis for these figures and events. Additionally, the Old Testament is not only a source of di-vine wisdom and laws but also contains a historical record preserved by the Israelites about their past, and it should be regarded as a substantial source of Jewish history.
Israelites As a Nation under Moses (PBUH):
Under the leadership of Moses (PBUH), the Israelites were transformed by God into a nation. For the first time, divine laws were issued to gov-ern societal matters. This nation was being groomed by God to practice and preach His message to the world (Quran 28:5). This is corrobo-rated by our living history—the Israelites have stood as flag bearers of monotheism for thousands of years, preaching to the world about their singular God’s message, as mentioned in the Quran. They faithfully fulfilled this duty for a considerable period. However, over time, re-ligious arrogance and moral decline began to emerge. In the Quran, extensive sections of chapters such as Surah al-Baqarah and Ale Imran detail how the Israelites deviated from the truth and compromised their duties to God, which is further supported by Surah Maryam, verse 59.
Jesus (PBUH) – the Last Rasool for the Israelites:
The Quran states that Jesus (PBUH) was a Messenger of God. He preached to the Israelites, condemning them for their severe arrogance, misdeeds, and violations of their covenant with God (Quran 5:78, among many other references, especially in Surah Maida). In the Bible, Matthew 23 lays out Jesus’s indictment against the religious leaders of the Israelites, who were destined to face God’s judgment on earth through Jesus (PBUH). Many of the Israelites rejected Jesus (PBUH), and some even sought to kill him. According to God’s law concerning His messengers, those who reject and persecute the messenger become subject to divine punishment. In Matthew 24:32-41, Jesus (PBUH) foretells this impending punishment.
I want to pause here for a moment and again mention how re-markable it is that Biblical stories are in complete sense and seem to be in absolute harmony with the Quran’s depiction of Rasools as God’s judgment on Earth.
Let’s continue.
In Matthew 24:32-41, Jesus (PBUH) declares that those persecut-ing Him will not die before they witness God’s worldly punishment. He proclaimed that, akin to the time of Noah (PBUH), God’s wrath would be unleashed on His immediate audience. However, not all would be wiped out; some would be killed while others would be left behind. The punishment came at the hands of Romans who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, approximately 10 to 15 years after Jesus’s (PBUH) departure. They killed nearly half of the Bani Israel and took the remainder cap-tive, fulfilling Jesus’s (PBUH) prophecy. Imagine the miraculous nature of his claim: Jesus (PBUH) foretold that the people who persecuted and rejected him would still be alive to witness God’s punishment—a punishment in which half would be killed and the other half would survive. And it came true! This event further establishes that in God’s design for Rasools, if the complete elimination of a nation is not neces-sary, then divine punishment is meted out through the hands of others to the nation that rejects the Rasool.
The Last Nation from the Children of Ishmael (PBUH): Muhammad (PBUH) – The Last Rasool of God
After approximately 600 years since ending the covenant with the de-scendants of Isaac for rejecting Jesus (PBUH), God chose to raise a new nation one final time. This nation would emerge from the descendants of Ishmael (PBUH), Abraham’s second son. For this purpose, God selected Muhammad (PBUH) as His final Prophet and Messenger.
In many early Meccan chapters, such as Surah Qamar, Muhammad (PBUH) is told that he is a Rasool, just like those before him, and that the same fate will befall Muhammad’s (PBUH) addressees as befell the addressees of previous Rasools (see also Quran 8:38).
Muhammad (PBUH) is also told that he is a Rasool, in the ex-act likeness of Moses (PBUH) (Quran 73:15). Being a Rasool in the likeness of Moses (PBUH) means that Muhammad (PBUH) has the exact same mission as Moses (PBUH), and everything that happened with Moses (PBUH) and the Israelites will come true for Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers. The Quran makes this point abundantly clear in almost every other chapter. To mention a few examples, the Quran claims that:
• Muhammad’s (PBUH) enemies will be completely defeated (Quran 58:5; 58:20-21 among others).
• Those who support him will be formed into a nation who will be given authority on land (Surah Nur verse 55) and they shall be tasked with preaching God’s message to the world (Quran 22:78).
• Just as Moses (PBUH) and his nation were given the area of Canaan to make it a center for the religion of one God and to cleanse it of all other religions, Muhammad (PBUH) was given the region of Hijaz to establish it as the new center for the monotheistic faith and to purify it from other religious ide- ologies (Quran 48:28; 9:33; 61:9). In this context, Muhammad (PBUH), as reported in a well-known Sahih Hadith, pro-claimed that the Arabian Peninsula must be exclusive to the religion of one God.
˶Ώ˴ή˴ό˸ϟ˶Γ˴ήϳ ˶ΰ˴Οϲ˶ϓ˶ϥΎ˴Ϩϳ˶Ω˵ϊ˶Ϥ˴Θ˸Π˴ϳϻ
Two religions shall not co-exist in the Arabian Peninsula (Muwatta of Malik, No: 1862).
Before moving forward, it is important to remind ourselves that the teachings of the Messenger of God are intended for all humankind, though the Divine Worldly Judgment through Rasool applies primar-ily to his immediate addressees. With the historical context discussed earlier, the Quran introduces Muhammad (PBUH) as a religious guide from God to all people, and as a Rasool of God (Worldly Judgment of God) to the Arabs and surrounding areas (Quran 6:92; 42:7). Muhammad (PBUH) wrote letters to the rulers of Persia, Byzantine, Ethiopia, Negus, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, and Sham, which precisely defined the exact jurisdiction of God’s judgment on Earth.
Important Note About Muhammad’s (PBUH) Letters to Kings
We discussed initially that, according to God’s law regarding Rasools, God clarifies the truth to a Rasool’s immediate addressees not only through arguments and reasoning but also through the personality of the Rasool and by orchestrating external events in a manner that appears to support the Rasool’s claims. These factors combine to compel the immediate addressees of the Rasool to give him serious consideration.
The letters that Muhammad (PBUH) wrote to several kings are readily available online. These letters contain an invitation to Islam and include a warning that rejecting the invitation of a Rasool of God will subject the kings and their armies to divine punishment. The kings were aware of the developments in Arabia—they knew that Muhammad (PBUH) claimed to be a worldly judgment of God for his immediate addressees and were also informed of Muhammad’s (PBUH) complete victory in Arabia. Despite this knowledge, when some of the kings out-right rejected his invitation without attempting to listen or understand, they became subject to divine punishment for wrongfully rejecting the message of a Rasool of God, as per the laws of Rasools outlined in the Quran.
Moreover, Maulana Maududi, in his Tafheem ul Quran, has ex-tensively commented on Surah Tawbah, detailing how Muhammad (PBUH) engaged with people in neighboring empires for years before sending letters to their kings. He provides detailed accounts of how Muhammad (PBUH) repeatedly sent delegations and how, in some instances, members of these delegations were murdered. Therefore, it wasn’t the case that the kings were oblivious to Muhammad (PBUH) and his teachings—they were well aware of what was happening in Arabia. To understand in detail how rejecting Muhammad’s (PBUH) letters subjected the kings and their armies to divine judgment, please watch the video titled, “Response to 23 Questions – Part 84 – Itmam e Hujjat – Javed Ahmed Ghamidi” on the YouTube channel of “Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning.”
In essence, all of Arabia and the surrounding areas to which Muhammad (PBUH) sent letters became the realm for God’s worldly demonstration of judgment, to be carried out through the last Rasool of God.
The Quran 9:52 proclaims that divine judgment will be inflicted, either through natural disasters or by the swords of Muhammad’s (PBUH) followers. As previously discussed while talking about Jesus (PBUH), if the elimination of an entire nation is not required, then divine punishment comes through the swords of people.
The Quran states that if divine punishment is to be inflicted through the swords of Muhammad’s (PBUH) companions, then two types of divine punishment can be administered to his immediate addressees: the death penalty or, as suggested in the Quran (39:26 and 58:20), a life of subjugation and humiliation.
In Hadith literature, Muhammad (PBUH) explains in the context of Quran 9:29 that, for his immediate audience, God’s punishment for rejecting and fighting a Rasool would be inflicted by the swords of his companions (Musnad Abd bin Humayd, No: 545).
Muhammad (PBUH) himself instructed his companions that, ac-cording to God’s law with messengers, God would inflict His punish-ment not only in Arabia but also upon all neighboring kingdoms and empires to which he had communicated the divine message through letters (Sahih of Bukhari No: 2941).
Muhammad is clearly told in the Quran that some of this divine judgment will be imposed through him, and some of it will occur after his passing (Quran 13:40; 40:77; 10:46; 43:41-42).
All of the above is a detailed roadmap in the Quran of what was to happen to Muhammad (PBUH) and his immediate addressees. The 23 years that followed Muhammad’s (PBUH) initial claim of Prophethood saw events unfold exactly as foretold by the Quran. Let us discuss these 23 years briefly. I will only mention the generally accepted parts of history, avoiding the details that are often debated and disputed among religious scholars and historians.
A Brief Clarification of a Hadith Related to Inheritance
It is important to mention a hadith that is perfectly explained when viewed from the perspective of God’s judgment through His Rasool, Muhammad. The hadith reads: A Muslim may not inherit from a disbeliever or a disbeliever from a Muslim (Sahih of Bukhari, No: 6764 and Sahih of Muslim, No: 1614).
If the aforementioned narration is considered a permanent direc-tive, it results in a contradiction. Muslim men can marry Christian and Jewish women. Why, then, is marriage permissible but inheritance not?
It seems that Muhammad (PBUH) made the aforementioned state-ment during a period when Muslims were instructed by God to fully separate from and disassociate themselves from disbelievers before di-vine judgment was enacted upon them. This directive was a temporary measure specific to that particular situation and was not intended as a permanent policy.
Let’s continue:-
Then finally, there came a time when God proclaimed that those who were rejecting God’s message were doing so for unjustified reasons. Two kinds of punishment were proclaimed.
1) For all those who were polytheists, God proclaimed that the truth had been made completely clear to them through the Messenger of God, and they persisted in their actions for unjus-tified reasons. Associating partners and equals with God is con-sidered the ultimate act of treason against Him. Consequently, these polytheists were sentenced to death by the God of the Quran, and Muslims were commanded to kill them unless they surrendered to God’s authority (Quran 9:5).
2. Associating partners with God is the ultimate act of treason against Him, and therefore, God decreed the death penalty for polytheists unless they reformed their ways. However, among the rejecters of Muhammad (PBUH) were also Jews and Christians. These groups are referred to as “People of the Book” in the Quran—people to whom God provided scripture. According to the Quran, Jews committed their own offenses against God, such as persecuting His messengers and altering His guidance, but they did not commit the ultimate betrayal of associating partners with God. Hence, the Quran describes them as those who have earned the displeasure of God (Quran 1:7). Christians, even though they believe in the trinity, still up-hold the belief in one God and justify their belief in the trinity as a belief in a single God. Therefore, they are seen as having made a mistake rather than committing the ultimate treason of polytheism (Quran 1:7). Consequently, Jews and Christians were spared the death penalty and instead were subjected to a life of humiliation and subjugation under Muslims, as mandated in Quran 9:29 (refer to Surah Tawbah for more context).
Thus, the Quran fulfilled its promise that for those who reject God’s final Messenger, punishment would come at the hands of Muhammad’s (PBUH) companions, leading to either a humiliating life or a humili-ating death for the rejectors.
Clarification on a Hadith Concerning Conflict with Non-Muslims
It is within this specific context—a Rasool serving as God’s judgment on Earth for his immediate companions—that Muhammad (PBUH) declared on various occasions that he had been ordered to fight people until they accepted God’s message. Consider the following Hadith as an example:
I have been ordered to fight people until they accept that no one has the right to be worshipped except God and if they accept that … then their life and property is sacred for us and we will not interfere with them…” (Sahih of Bukhari, No: 392 and 387).
The above Hadith should not be considered a directive for all Muslims to follow at all times. According to Quran 2:256, there is expressly “no compulsion in matters of religion.” Generally, those who reject God’s message will be judged by God on the Day of Judgment if their rejection was due to sincere reasons, such as the message not making enough sense in the manner it was presented, or for wrongful reasons, such as ego or worldly gain. Muslims are instructed not to impose anything on non-Muslims regarding religious beliefs in this world. However, in the unique circumstance where a Rasool of God is present in the world, the aim of God is to demonstrate judgment worldly. Hence, He clarifies truth beyond all reasonable doubt through the power of argument, the impeccable personality of the Rasool, ex-ternal geopolitical events, and miracles. After a pre-ordained period, God identifies those who reject His message for wrongful reasons and punishes them in this world.
Clarification about a Hadith Concerning the Killing of a Non-Believer
Another Hadith is perfectly explained when viewed from the perspec-tive of the punishments ordained in Surah Tawbah.
Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have judged in a case that a believer should not be killed for killing a disbeliever (Sahih of Bukhari, No: 6517).
If interpreted as a permanent policy, this hadith poses a problematic situation because it contradicts every injunction of justice the Quran has ordained—an unlawful murder is a crime, regardless of the religion of both the murderer and the victim. Then, why did Muhammad (PBUH) say this? When the Hadith is viewed through the lens of the Quran, it appears Muhammad (PBUH) may have made this statement around the time when the death penalty was announced for idolaters. Hence, from the perspective of the Quran, it seems that Muhammad (PBUH) was suggesting that if any Muslim killed one of the polytheists, then he shall not be given the ultimate punishment because the death penalty has already been issued against the polytheists as divine punishment for rejecting and persecuting a Rasool of God.
In other words, if the death penalty has already been issued against a certain person and someone else kills that person, then the killer will not receive the ultimate punishment for this killing.
Let’s continue our discussion of how the Quran’s claims about Muhammad (PBUH) as a Rasool of God came true.
But the story continues.
In his role as a Rasool of God, Muhammad (PBUH) sent letters to kings. Were these kings, as recipients of correspondence from a living Rasool of God, not subject to God’s punishment? Indeed, they were! These kings and their armies became subject to the Quran’s law con-cerning Rasools.
Remember how Muhammad (PBUH) was told in the Quran that he might see some parts of the judgment while other parts might occur after his passing? That’s exactly what transpired. Once God’s judgment was complete in Arabia, Muhammad (PBUH) passed away. The kings who dismissed Muhammad’s (PBUH) letters faced divine punishment. Within 15 years of Muhammad’s passing, the consequences of rejecting a Rasool of God befell these rulers. These kingdoms miraculously fell into the hands of Muhammad’s (PBUH) immediate companions. Hence, those who rejected the living Rasool of God were defeated not just in Arabia, but on a global scale and those who supported him were made rulers of almost half of the civilized world, just as promised in the Quran, 24:55.
This miraculous victory of the Arabs over global superpowers was not due to any military might or prowess they possessed; in fact, this victory was God’s miracle and the worldly reward of “Authority on Earth” mentioned in Surah Nur Verse 55, destined for the supporters of God’s Rasool as promised in the Quran. Indeed, the Arab Bedouins were militarily extremely inferior and inexperienced compared to their neighbors.
Professor of Islamic History, Carole Hillenbrand, writes:
Much ink has been spilt on the phenomenon of the Islamic conquest, but few firm conclusions can be drawn…It seems unlikely that the Arabs possessed military superiority over their opponents. Certainly, they had no secret weapon, no new techniques … they were also unfamiliar with how to fight naval engagements.56
The ease with which the superpowers of the time fell before prim-itive desert dwellers, who possessed no significant military expertise, was so miraculous that it continues to stun experts and historians even today.
Andrew Louth writes:
The speed with which the eastern provinces of the Byzantine empire succumbed to the Arabs remains to be explained by historians.57
Historian Barnaby Rogerson writes: You have to remember, that the two great superpowers were the Byzantine empire [Eastern Roman empire] and Sassanid Persia…they were the dominant powers. If you’re putting it in a modern parlance, it’s a bit like the Eskimos taking on the United States of America and Russia.58
You may compare Muhammad (PBUH) to figures like Osman Ghazi, who founded the Ottoman dynasty, or to Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan of Mongolia, arguing that they too claimed divine destiny to conquer the earth and professed to have dreams and visions of glory that came true. However, Muhammad’s (PBUH) case is entirely distinct.
Muhammad (PBUH) didn’t just mention a one-off dream; Muhammad’s claim was that his God had laid down in detail the entire sequence of events that would unfold, with things unfolding exactly as he said, down to the minutest detail. The Quran states each and every detail beforehand on how divine judgment through the Rasool would unwind, and it occurred exactly as mentioned, not just on a regional scale in Arabia but on a global scale.
Moreover, unlike figures such as the Osman Ghazi or Genghis Khan, who proudly boasted about their political, military, and strategic prowess, Muhammad (PBUH) asserted that he did not make decisions or act on his own will. Instead, he was merely executing instructions received from a higher being—instructions that often contradicted and overruled many of Muhammad’s (PBUH) own decisions.
Another important point is that, unlike Alexander, Ottoman, and Genghis Khan, Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers had virtually no military expertise. This is what makes their case so unique. Imagine a group of people with little to no military skill proclaiming that they are guided directly by God, who will enable them to conquer half of the earth—and then they actually do end up conquering half of the world. If I were to witness such an event, it would be both a moral and rational obligation for me to seriously investigate what these individuals claim about God.
Muhammad’s (PBUH) companions understood that their mirac-ulous victories were not the result of their own military or strategic prowess. Instead, they recognized these victories as manifestations of God’s laws specific to the Rasools. Consider the Battle of Yarmouk, for instance. This confrontation was pivotal between the Byzantine Empire and the Muslims—defeat meant losing everything. According to some modern estimates, the Byzantine Army numbered a massive 150,000 men, while the Muslim army had only 40 to 45 thousand fighters. With so much at stake and with such limited resources and numbers, the Muslim ruler Omar (RA) made a significant change. He removed the star commander Khalid bin Waleed (RA), who had been on a long winning streak, and replaced him with Abu Ubaida (RA). This decision served to remind the Muslims that their victories were not the result of their own skills or numbers, but rather manifestations of God’s law specific to the Rasools. God was punishing those who rejected the message of His Rasool and rewarding the companions of Muhammad (PBUH) for supporting His messenger.
Muslims will Eventually Undergo Moral Deterioration, Similar to that Experienced by the Israelites
God established a covenant with the Israelites, stipulating that they would sincerely practice and spread His religion throughout the world—a duty they fulfilled for many centuries. However, they even-tually declined morally to such an extent that God ended His cove-nant with them during the time of Jesus PBUH. In particular, Arab Muslims, and all Muslims in general, have now been tasked by God to sincerely practice and disseminate His true message to the world. The Quran is given to them as a guide, a book to be shared globally as God’s teachings. Nevertheless, like the Israelites, Muslims will also face moral deterioration, and once this occurs, there will be no more Rasools to raise nations in carrying out God’s work, as Muhammad (PBUH) is the last Rasool. Hence, the judgment day will befall humankind. Muhammad (PBUH) predicted this eventual deterioration of Muslims.
Take the following Hadith for example:
Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have said:
You would tread the exact same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of a lizard, you would follow them in this also — the companions of Muhammad (PBUH) asked: Oh God’s Messenger, when you say ‘those before us’, do you mean Jews and Christians? He said: Who else! (Sahih of Muslim, No 6448).
Recap of the Quran’s Scheme of Things Regarding Rasools
The summary of our discussion so far is as follows: According to the Quran, every human is innately aware of God and possesses inherent knowledge of right and wrong. Originally, God communicated directly with the first group of humans, revealing our origins and purpose. Initially, all humanity followed the correct path. However, as devi-ations occurred, God sent Nabis (Prophets) to steer humanity back to the truth. When these Prophets were predominantly rejected and humanity continued to deny the true God and Divine Judgment, by refusing to listen and disregard reason, Rasools (Messengers) were dispatched. These Messengers served as worldly demonstrations of Divine Judgment, affirming the existence of God and forewarning of the impending Judgment Day for all humankind.
A Rasool arrives in a society and spends years preaching God’s message. The power of the arguments, the character of the Rasool, and miracles, combined with external events that support the Rasool’s claims, all contribute to creating an environment where God makes the truth clear beyond all reasonable doubt for the Rasool’s immediate audience. Then comes a time when God Himself proclaims worldly judgment on the immediate followers of the Rasool. At this point, those who accept the Rasool’s message are saved and rewarded in this world, while punishment is proclaimed on the rejectors. If the elimination of the entire society is required, punishment comes through natural disasters, and if total elimination is not necessary, then punishment is delivered at the hands of people.
Individual Rasools were sent to various nations when humanity consisted of small settlements. As humanity transitioned into the age of nations and civilizations, these individual Rasools were succeeded by nations chosen to practice and preach God’s message to the world. To facilitate this, Abraham’s (PBUH) progeny was selected by God for the purpose of elevating these nations.
The first nation was raised through the descendants of Abraham’s (PBUH) son, Isaac (PBUH). They inherited the land around Canaan, with a directive to dedicate it solely to God’s religion and to entirely eliminate all other religions and their adherents. Under the leader-ship of Moses (PBUH), they received the law and were established as God’s chosen nation with the mission to practice and spread God’s true guidance across the world. They fulfilled this mission for an extended period until they began deviating from the truth. At this point, Jesus (PBUH), as the last Rasool to them, implored them to amend their ways and renew their covenant with God, warning that failure to do so would terminate their status as the chosen nation and lead to severe repercussions. Unfortunately, Jesus (PBUH) was rejected and perse-cuted by the Israelites, which, as a divine punishment, led to devastating consequences inflicted by the Romans.
Six hundred years after Jesus (PBUH), God raised another nation to uphold His message for the final time—this time from the descendants of Abraham’s (PBUH) other son, Ishmael (PBUH). For this purpose, God chose Muhammad (PBUH) as His final Prophet and Messenger. In the entire context of the Quran’s scheme of things regarding Rasools, our known history is a witness that, in the case of Muhammad (PBUH), things unfolded on a global scale exactly as claimed in the Quran. Additionally, all the Biblical stories about God’s judgment on earth are through the likes of Noah, Lot, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all) make complete sense when viewed through the Quran’s prism of God’s law regarding Rasools. These narratives are not merely random instances of God unleashing His wrath on sinners; in fact, they are interconnected events in God’s grand plan to raise nations that represent Him in the world and to provide the most significant worldly proof of Judgment Day, which will befall all of humankind in the hereafter.
The fulfillment of the Quran’s claims regarding the Messengers of God is a compelling reason why it is crucial for everyone to earnestly explore the Quran as a serious contender for divine truth from God.
5A – Resolving Problematic Concepts through Quran’s law of Rasools
Several problematic issues are resolved when Islam is viewed through the prism of God’s law alongside the teachings of the Rasools. I have already discussed two issues that were resolved: the inheritance rights of non-Muslims and the punishment for a Muslim murdering a non-Mus-lim. Now, let us explore three more issues that are addressed when viewed through the prism of the Quran’s laws in conjunction with the Rasools.
1 – Punishment for Apostasy
A vast majority of Muslims believe in divinely ordained punishment for those who leave Islam, often interpreted as death penalty. This belief is rooted in a Hadith where Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have said: Kill those who change their religion (Sunan of al-Nisa’i, No: 4059; 4061 and 4062).
This hadith appears to be reinforced by the Ridda Wars, in which Caliph Abu Bakr waged war on tribes that renounced Islam following the demise of Muhammad (PBUH).
The Hadith seems to contradict the Quran, which states in 2:256 that there must be no compulsion in matters of religion. Moreover, var-ious verses in the Quran discuss the issue of leaving Islam (e.g., Quran 4:137; 2:217, and 3:86-90) and mention no worldly punishment for this act. Why, then, does an authentic Hadith from Muhammad (PBUH) seemingly order the killing of those who change their religion, and why did Abu Bakr wage war on those who renounced their faith after Muhammad (PBUH)?
When we mistakenly approach the Quran through the lens of the Hadith, and consider the Hadith an independent source of Islam rather than an explanation of the Quran, such contradictions emerge. How can the Quran unequivocally state that there must be no compulsion in matters of religion, yet some Hadiths suggest executing people for changing their religion?
This problem is instantly solved when we adopt the correct approach of understanding Hadith through the prism of the Quran, recognizing that Hadith is not an independent source of Islam but contains expla-nations of the religion given in the Quran and Sunnah. Let me explain.
There are three crimes for which the Quran authorizes the death penalty:
1) Murder
2) Crimes that wreak havoc on Earth by harming someone’s life, property, or dignity include armed robbery, terrorist activities, kidnapping, and rape (Quran 5:32). 3) Rejection of a Rasool by an immediate addressee carries worldly punishment. The death penalty or the punishment of subjuga-tion is authorized for the direct addressees of a Rasool if they reject or persecute him. (For reference, see earlier discussion on God’s Law of Rasools and verse 33 of Surah 5 of the Quran (5:33)). The Hadith refers to people from among the immediate audience of Muhammad (PBUH) who are guilty of rejecting a Rasool’s message after accepting it.
When viewed in the context of the crimes for which the Quran authorizes the death penalty, it is evident that there is no permanent punishment for anyone who chooses to leave Islam. The individuals Muhammad (PBUH) addressed were specifically those in his imme-diate audience, whom God had already decreed would face the death penalty if they rejected His last Rasool. In the case of the tribes against whom Abu Bakr waged war, they too belonged to the immediate audi-ence of God’s last Rasool. Their rejection of the Rasool after his death subjected them to divine punishment, in accordance with God’s laws concerning His messengers. Thus, punishment on matters of faith is an act of God’s worldly judgment, limited to scenarios where a Rasool of God is present among the people. This type of punishment was specific to the immediate addressees of the Rasool and does not pertain to later Muslims. According to the Quran, Muhammad (PBUH) is the last Messenger of God—there will be no other Rasools and, consequently, no further instances of God’s worldly judgments. Therefore, no one after Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions has the authority to punish anyone on matters of faith. Consider this example:
Among Muhammad’s (PBUH) immediate audience, divine judg-ment was proclaimed against polytheists and those who fought and persecuted God’s Rasool; they were subjected to the death penalty unless they accepted God’s message. This acceptance was their singular path to avoid God’s punishment. Specifically, if any of these individuals renounced Islam afterward, the waiver would end, and they would once again be subject to the divine punishment originally ordained for them. Thus, this Hadith specifically addresses only those immediate addressees of Muhammad (PBUH) who were subject to God’s worldly judgment through a Rasool. This Hadith does not apply to anyone else other than the immediate addressees of Muhammad (PBUH)—God’s last Rasool.
2 – Fighting Non-Muslims for Their Faith
Another apparent contradiction is resolved when Islam is understood through the law of God, applicable only when a Rasool is among the people. The Quran proclaims complete freedom in matters of reli-gion (Quran 2:256). Yet, on another occasion, the Quran instructs Muhammad (PBUH) to fight those polytheists who have breached their treaty with Muslims until they accept Islam. Additionally, the Quran directs Muhammad (PBUH) to battle Jews and Christians until they embrace Islam or agree to pay a tax as a sign of humiliation and subjugation (Quran 9:29).
Similarly, numerous Hadiths appear to contradict the concept found in Quranic verse 256 of Surah 2, which states that there must not be any compulsion in matters of religion. Consider the following Hadith, for example:
I have been ordered to fight people until they declare that there is only one God and Muhammad is God’s messen-ger and establish prayer and give the obligatory charity (Zakat)… (Sahih of al-Bukhārī, No: 25).
When viewed through the lens of God’s law alongside the Rasools, it becomes clear that these commandments are not intended as an eternal policy for Muslims regarding non-Muslims. Instead, they are orders to inflict divine punishment solely on the immediate recipients of a Rasool of God’s message. The Quran states that whether it was the flood during Noah’s (PBUH) time, the punishment of the nations of ‘Ad, Thamud, Abraham (PBUH), and Lot (PBUH), or the Roman conquest of the Israelites during Jesus’s (PBUH) era, or the battles fought by Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions against the people of Arabia and sur-rounding regions, such worldly punishment in matters of faith is specif-ically a consequence for rejecting a living Rasool of God. This punish-ment is limited to those who directly confronted a Rasool and cannot be extended to others. Consequently, for everyone outside the immediate audience of a Rasool, all matters of faith will be judged by God on the Day of Judgment. After Muhammad’s (PBUH) departure, Muslims are only permitted to convey God’s message to non-Muslims; they are not allowed to use force or fight them over matters of faith.
3 – Islam Will Prevail Over All Other Religions
The Quran proclaims that “God’s religion (Islam) will prevail over all other religions” (Quran 9:33). When seen out of context, this statement might appear to be a global prophecy, which many militant organiza-tions idealize to fulfill. However, when viewed through the prism of God’s law and His messengers, it becomes clear that this prophecy was specific to Muhammad’s (PBUH) addressees. A messenger’s addressees are judged in this world—the opponents are completely defeated, only God’s messenger, his followers, and God’s message prevail over all the opposing forces and beliefs. Therefore, this prophecy of Islam prevailing over all other ideologies was specific to Muhammad’s (PBUH) address-ees and was fulfilled exactly as prophesized.
The complete context of verse 9:33 makes it clear that God is ad-dressing the immediate followers of Muhammad (PBUH) rather than issuing a global prophecy for all future times. The verse explicitly states that God has sent His Messenger with the religion of truth and has fulfilled His promise to make this Messenger and the religion of truth prevail over all other ideologies of the polytheists of Mecca and Arabia, who were Muhammad’s (PBUH) primary opponents. Below, I will share the complete verses with their context.
They wish to extinguish God’s light with their mouths – but God will ensure that His light is perfected, no matter how much the disbelievers dislike it. Indeed, it is God who has sent his Messenger with guidance and religion of truth – making it prevail over all other religions even though the polytheists are dismayed by it. (Quran 9:32-33).
Similarly, another verse, Quran 48:28, is often cited as predicting that Islam will prevail over all other religions and that the entire world will either become Muslim or live under Muslim subjugation in the end times. However, when this verse is read in context, particularly from verses 20 to 30, it becomes evident that it specifically addresses the Meccans, informing them that they will be defeated and that Islam will prevail over them.
I presented the aforementioned information to emphasize that the sayings and actions of Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions are more comprehensible when viewed through the lens of God’s law re-garding Rasools as explained in the Quran.
5B – Muhammad’s Personality & Predictions about Him – Two Additional Factors Add Credence to His Message
The Quran’s scheme of Rasools, particularly how things transpired with Muhammad (PBUH) as a Rasool, provided compelling rea-sons for me to consider Islam seriously as a contender for divine truth. However, two additional aspects, in my opinion, lend further credence to Muhammad’s (PBUH) message:
1) The personality of Muhammad (PBUH)
2) The prophecies about Muhammad (PBUH) in earlier scriptures Let me explain each briefly.
1) Personality of Muhammad (PBUH)
A Honest and Truthful Man
Before Muhammad (PBUH) declared himself a Prophet of God, he gathered the people and asked if they would believe him if he said an army was coming from behind a mountain to attack them. The people responded affirmatively, stating that they had always found him to be an honest and truthful man (Sahih of al-Bukhari, No: 4770, 4972).
No Evolution of Thought
Every eminent scholar in military, political, economic, or social fields exhibits a clear evolution of ideas and thoughts throughout their life. This evolution, however, is notably absent in the case of Muhammad (PBUH). It appears to be a sudden phenomenon at the age of 40 when Muhammad (PBUH) declared that he was contacted by God. Following this, he began to recite the Quranic texts, marked by their poetic and linguistic brilliance, encompassing deep religious, political, and social discussions and proclamations, along with astute, flawless military deci-sions and strategies. This absence of evolution is mirrored in the Quran; there is no alteration in the fundamentals of its message or its arguments from the first day to the end, despite the rapidly changing external en-vironment over the 23 years of its revelation. Let me elaborate further.
There is always an evolution of thought or talent in an individual. Shakespeare didn’t become the renowned playwright we know from the first day. Similarly, Gandhi’s ideology evolved over time. Muhammad (PBUH) presents a unique case in our known history because there was no apparent evolution of religious, political, or social thought in his life. He also never displayed any significant interest or ability in poetry. His life, until the age of 40, showed no signs of these influences, yet the Quran, with its rich content spanning religious, social, political, legal, and poetic themes, appears as an unexpected phenomenon in his life. This fact strongly supports the hypothesis that Muhammad was not the author of the Quran.
No Interest and Background in Seeking or Preaching Religious Knowledge
When the Quran provides information about Muhammad’s (PBUH) personality, it can be trusted as accurate. The Quran was recited to an audience who knew Muhammad (PBUH) very well. Had the Quran presented any false information about Muhammad (PBUH), it would have been contested by those immediate listeners. The Quran informs us that Muhammad (PBUH) had no prior interest or background in seeking or preaching religious knowledge. Verse 86 of Surah 28 in the Quran states that Muhammad (PBUH) was not expecting any revela-tion, nor was there any effort on his part to seek religious enlightenment or divine knowledge.
In this context, it is crucial to address a popular story that por-trays Muhammad (PBUH) as a seeker of divine knowledge. This tale tells of Muhammad (PBUH) periodically retreating to the Cave of Hira to engage in mystical meditations. I will delve deeper into this later, but it is important to clarify initially that Muhammad (PBUH) did not visit the Cave of Hira to seek religious enlightenment or to perform mystical exercises. The well-known story of Muhammad’s (PBUH) enigmatic meditation in Hira is based on a Hadith with a single chain of narrators. Moreover, this Hadith is not a direct quote from Muhammad (PBUH) himself. Ibn Ishaq, one of the earliest biog-raphers of Muhammad (PBUH), includes only a small portion of this narration and disregards the rest. Regarding the first revelation, Ibn Ishaq presents another narration that contradicts the widespread story of Muhammad (PBUH) engaging in mysterious mystical meditations in the Cave of Hira. Instead, he offers the following version of events: Many in Arabia followed a primitive version of the Abrahamic religion called “Deen-e-Hanif,” which Muhammad (PBUH) also ad-hered to. Practices such as fasting during Ramadan and engaging in “Aitekaaf,” which involves fasting and worshiping in seclusion, were common traditions in this religion. During this period, Muhammad (PBUH) left the idol-worshiping city of Mecca to retreat into the moun-tains with his family for Aitekaaf. Many others followed this practice with their families as well. Thus, Muhammad (PBUH) was not en-gaging in mysterious meditations in search of divine truth and enlight-enment; rather, he was observing a typical ritual of the Deen-e-Hanif, like many others.59 In his 40th year, while engaged in this ritual worship, the angel Gabriel appeared to him for the first time. I will discuss this incident in detail later, but for now, I want to clarify that Muhammad (PBUH) participated in the standard ritual worship activities of the monotheistic religious tradition prevalent among his people without actively seeking religious knowledge or enlightenment through myste-rious meditations in caves.
Furthermore, according to verse 16 of chapter 10 of the Quran, Muhammad (PBUH) informs his immediate addressees that he has lived his entire life among them before receiving the revelation; he never discussed the matters that the Quran addresses. Therefore, it was com-mon knowledge among Muhammad’s (PBUH) immediate audience that he had no background in religious preaching or in seeking religious knowledge before he proclaimed to have received a divine revelation..
No Interest or Background in Poetry
The Quran (36:69) informs us that Muhammad (PBUH) had absolutely no interest in poetry and was never known for listening to or reciting poetry. However, the Quran itself is one of the finest poetic master-pieces of the Arabic language. The poetic style of the Quran is so powerful that it influenced one of Arabia’s greatest poets, Abu Aqil Labid ibn Rabiah ibn Malik al Amiri, to convert to Islam. Labid’s poem was among the “Mu’allaqat,” the seven greatest poems of the Arabic language, which were displayed outside the Kaaba in a sort of poetic Hall of Fame. He was particularly impressed by the style of Surah Al-Kawthar, which ultimately led him to embrace Islam.60
The poetic magnificence of the Quran is a well-established fact. Its structure is so poetically refined that it stands unique as a voluminous book which can be easily memorized by children as young as seven years old, or even younger. This ease of memorization extends even to those who do not understand Arabic. Every year, thousands of children in Muslim countries successfully memorize the Quran by heart within a year.
So, in light of what we discussed, Muhammad (PBUH) was gen-erally known to be a truthful man. He had absolutely no background in seeking or preaching religious knowledge, yet the Quran engages in profound religious discussions. Additionally, there is no evolution of thought in the ideas discussed in the Quran, and there is complete consistency of thought and ideas throughout its 23 years of revelation. Moreover, Muhammad (PBUH) had no interest or background in po-etry, yet the Quran remains one of the most remarkable literary works in the Arabic language. All these factors add more substance to the possibility that the Quran is not the product of Muhammad’s (PBUH) own mind.
Did Muhammad Persuade Others to Come up with the Quran for Him?
One might argue that perhaps Muhammad (PBUH) commissioned someone else to write the Quran; however, this is highly unlikely. For Muhammad (PBUH) to have others write the Quran, he would have needed two teams: one consisting of world-class experts in religious knowledge, particularly in Abrahamic faiths, and another made up of supremely skilled poetry experts. Considering the consistency of the ideas in the Quran and the poetic language used throughout, he would have required the services of these teams from the very beginning, enduring throughout the 23 years of the Quran’s revelation. Notably, there is no historical evidence to suggest that Muhammad (PBUH) had access to such teams. In fact, during the initial years, he was primarily a solitary preacher with only a few followers, and his early group of companions were not recognized as experts in these fields.
2) Predictions about Muhammad (PBUH) in Earlier Scriptures
Prophecies about Muhammad (PBUH) in the Bible
The Quran does not present Muhammad (PBUH) as an isolated figure; instead, he is depicted within a continuum of earlier divinely inspired prophets and messengers. What makes Muhammad’s (PBUH) case particularly interesting is that there are prophecies in the Bible—both in the Old and New Testaments—which, when considered together, appear to align remarkably with Muhammad’s personality and mission. Let us briefly explore some of these.
Old Testament – Book of Deuteronomy 18:18
God tells Moses (PBUH) and his people:
I (God) will raise up a Prophet like you (Moses) from among their brothers (from among the brother of Israelites) and I shall put my words into his mouth and that Prophet shall tell them all that I command. Anyone who will not listen to the words which the Prophet speaks in my name, I myself will hold accountable for it. So, God informed the Israelites that a Prophet would arise not from among them but from their brethren, a tribe closely related to them. This Prophet, in the exact likeness of Moses (PBUH), would deliver God’s message to his immediate audience. Those who rejected him would face God’s judgment here on earth. As we have previously discussed in detail while exploring the laws in the Quran regarding Rasools, Muhammad (PBUH) hailed from the brethren of the Israelites, specifically from the descendants of Ishmael. The Quran affirms that he is a Prophet in the likeness of Moses (PBUH), delivering God’s message to his contem-poraries. Those who rejected him faced divine judgment here on earth, as per God’s law regarding Rasools..
One could argue that the aforementioned verse predicts the coming of Jesus (PBUH). However, this interpretation is not viable, as Jesus (PBUH) was from the nation of the Israelites, whereas the prophecy suggests that the foretold individual would belong to a tribe or people who are the brethren of the Israelites. Moreover, the person prophesied will be a prophet similar to Moses—meaning that everything that transpired for Moses and his nation will occur for him as well. He will introduce new divine laws, lead an army, gain earthly authority, and have his nation appointed as custodians of God’s religion to fully practice and preach God’s message to the world. None of these events transpired in the case of Jesus. Furthermore, when we examine the New Testament, it appears that Jesus himself predicts the arrival of someone after him who closely aligns with the figure described in Deuteronomy 18:18.
New Testament – The Book of John
In 1 John 2:1, Jesus (PBUH) is referred to as a “Paraclete” or a “Comforter.” In the subsequent verses, Jesus (PBUH) predicts the com-ing of another “Comforter” apart from himself and says: And I will pray to the Father, and he shall send you another Comforter…(John 14:16).
Jesus further explains:
Indeed, I tell you the truth—it is important for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Paraclete (Comforter/ Counselor) will not come… (John 16:7-8).
I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, it is he who will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:7-13).
Other prophets in the Bible are referred to as “Spirit” (1 John 4:1-3). Since Jesus (PBUH) was a human being, and other human beings were referred to as Spirit, it is entirely reasonable to believe that the term “Spirit” in the aforementioned verses refers to a human being.
When considered together, both Moses (PBUH) and Jesus (PBUH) appear to predict the arrival of an individual from a people related to the brothers of the Israelites. This individual will speak the literal words of God and be a prophet akin to Moses (PBUH). This description aligns closely with Muhammad (PBUH). As a descendant of Ishmael, Muhammad (PBUH) and his people are considered brethren of the Israelites. He spoke God’s words, preserved in the Quran, and served as a prophet in the likeness of Moses (PBUH). Like Moses, he intro-duced a new divine law. Through Muhammad (PBUH), God raised a nation to practice and preach His message to the world, granting them significant authority on earth, much like Moses and his people.
3 – Muhammad’s Prediction in Hindu Scriptures
The Quran states that prophets of God were sent to all nations before prophethood was exclusive to the descendants of Abraham (PBUH). Hindus assert that their religious texts are over 5000 years old, a time-line some scholars associate with the probable era of Abraham (PBUH). It is therefore plausible that, before prophethood was limited to the progeny of Abraham, God inspired prophets in the Indian subcontinent. As previously discussed, Hinduism incorporates the concept of Rishis or Sages, divinely inspired holy men who imparted divine knowledge to people. From a Quranic perspective, it is conceivable that the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures were originally divine revelations, retaining fragments of divine truth despite thousands of years of interpretations and reinterpretations.
Within these scriptures, there is a passage where I believe a divinely inspired Prophet of God predicted the coming of Muhammad (PBUH). Over the course of hundreds or even thousands of years, these predic-tions may have evolved into the concept that God Vishnu will incar-nate as a human and confront evil in the final age. Let’s explore these predictions. While I believe they foretell the coming of Muhammad (PBUH), you are free to form your own opinion.
At this point, I want to acknowledge the information I got from the public speeches of Dr. Zakir Naik on this particular subject. Although I may disagree with some of Dr. Naik’s ideas and interpretations, his commendable work in highlighting predictions about Muhammad (PBUH) in non-Abrahamic scriptures has greatly assisted me in my research.
For references pertaining to all points discussed below, please see the following:
There is a person called Kalki Avatar in Hindu tradition who is known as the last of a series of avatars and will come in the last age of mankind to take on evil. I will mention the prophecies and draw paral-lels with Muhammad (PBUH) and let you draw your own conclusions.
1) Kalki Avatar will be born to a man named
Vishnuyash and a woman named Sumati.
“Vishnuyasha” is a Sanskrit term that can be translated to mean: “Vishnu” means God, and one of the meanings of “Yash” is “glory,” “honor,” and it also means “to strive for.” Thus, “Vishnuyash” refers to someone who strives for or honors God Vishnu, or perhaps represents the glory of God Vishnu. Muhammad (PBUH) was born to Abdullah, and the name “Abdullah” signifies someone who worships God.
“Sumati” is a Sanskrit term which can mean devotion or benevo-lence. Muhammad’s (PBUH) mother’s name was Amina, which means devoted, faithful, and the one who is safe.
(Vishnuyasha, and Sumati, translated from Learnsanskrit.cc)
2) He will be born in a village called Shambhala.
Shambhala, according to the New World Encyclopedia, is a Sanskrit term meaning “a place of peace.”61
Muhammad (PBUH) was born in Mecca, which the Quran refers to as “the city of peace” in Chapter 95, Verse 3. Even before the advent of Islam, Mecca was known as a city of peace because various Arab tribes annually visited this city for their religious pilgrimage. No violence was permitted within Mecca.
3) Kalki will originate from the clan of the city’s chiefs and will be born in the house of Shambhala’s chief
Muhammad (PBUH) belonged to the Quraish tribe, the chief tribe of Mecca. He was born in the house of Abdul Muttalib, the chief of Mecca and the Quraish tribe, in the presence of his son Abu Talib, Muhammad’s (PBUH) uncle.
4) Kalki will be born on 12th of the month of Madav to Vishnuyas and Sumati.
Muhammad is said to have been born on 12th Rabiul Awwal.
5) He will ride a horse and will carry a sword. He will bring people from darkness into light, ushering in the age of truth (Satya Yuga). He will have four friends who will help him. Angels will assist him on the battlefield.
Muhammad (PBUH) rode a horse with a sword and brought people from the darkness of ignorance into the light of Divine guidance. He was succeeded by what Muslims call “The 4 Rightly Guided Caliphs or Successors,” who were Muhammad’s (PBUH) very close compan-ions, namely Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali [may God be pleased with them all]. The Quran proclaims on multiple occasions, such as in Quran 3:125, that angels were sent to help Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers on the battlefield.
6) Kalki will gain wisdom on a mountain, then migrate northward before returning.
Muhammad (PBUH) received his first revelation in the Cave of Hira on a mountain. He migrated north to Medina from his hometown of Mecca, returning triumphantly less than a decade later.
7) Kalki Avatar means The Final Avatar or the Antim Rishi.
Muhammad (PBUH) is referred to as the final Prophet of God—the last Messenger of God (Quran 33:40; Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, No. 2272).
To summarize our discussion, there are specific prophecies in other scriptures, aside from the Quran, that appear to predict the arrival of Muhammad (PBUH). Considering these prophecies along with what we’ve discussed, I have become deeply interested in what the God of the Quran has to say about existence and my purpose within it. At this point in my journey, I wanted to evaluate whether the Quran offers moral, ethical, and rational coherence and whether it provides satisfac-tory answers to my existential questions. If it does, combined with the evidence we’ve reviewed, the Quran would become a strong contender for divine truth in my view.
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- Arthur Cotterell, “Bamapana,” in A Dictionary of World Mythol-ogy (Oxford University Press, 2003), https://www.oxfordref-erence.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780192177476.001.0001/acref-9780192177476-e-487.
- Robert a Armour, Gods and Myths of Ancient Egypt (American Univ in Cairo Press, 2001), 99-100.
- Ibid., 135.
- “African Religions | Traditional Beliefs & Practices | Bri-tannica,” March 19, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/African-religions.
- Ibid.
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- Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, “Response to 23 Questions – Itmam e Hujjat,” Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, December 25, 2022, YouTube videos, https://www.youtube.com/play-list?list=PLvDnnnkYLWQeKq8ny1IDf2bgZRTihI28a)
- Abdullah al Andalusi, “What Is a Kafir? The Confusion in English Regarding the Quranic Use of the Word ‘Kafir,’” (blog), May 5, 2016, https://abdullahalandalusi.com/2016/05/05/the-quranic-use-of-the-word-kafir/.
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- “A Flood of Myths and Stories | Blog | Independent Lens.”
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
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- Carole Hillenbrand, “Muhammad and the Rise of Islam,” in The New Cambridge Medieval History, vol. 1, 4 vols. (Cam-bridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005), 340.
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- This detail on Ibn e Hisham’s view is based on the following discussion by Javed Ahmad Ghamidi: Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, “Response to 23 Questions – Part 43 – Pehli Wahi ka Waqia, Ghar e Hira,” Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, Uploaded March 4, 2021, accessed April 30, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9h-o0AOS2g&list=PLvDnnnkYLWQca1Aw-pk-FmXIwjolLVsZkhr
- Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-e-Qur’an, vol. 1, 9 vols. (Lahore: Faran Foundation, 1985), 25-26.
- “Shambhala – New World Encyclopedia,” accessed April 11, 2024, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sham-bhala.