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In the world where humankind are sent to be tested, there have always been important questions that they have always asked and are continuing to ask. As a result of these questions, a lot of ideas emerged trying to make sense of the riddle and confusion thereof; and volumes of books written by the philosophers for centuries have taken their place in the history of philosophy. The common thing among these people, who made similar or different conclusions at different times, has been to try to understand the enormous, perfect and mysterious “book” called universe.
But history has shown us with many examples that these philosophical currents and their representatives have not been able to ensure the happiness of individual and social life and to prevent people from sins and extremes.
As this centuries-old adventure of reading and interpreting has been continuing, Allah Almighty has sent prophets – by observing certain wisdom – to enlighten the path of His servants, guide them and lead them. Allah Almighty, Who has wisdom and compassion, has miraculously bestowed the system of divine rules, which will ensure the happiness of the two worlds, upon His prophets whom He sent to His servants in order to direct them to the right and righteous path.
Because, Allah Almighty, Whose matters are always wise and perfect, has not left His creatures unattended and has not said “go your own way.”
“Does man think that he will be left unattended?” (Qiyamah, 75:36)
There is no divine religion that tried to lead its followers to the right path without the prophetic institution. Because the law of religion that consists of Divine orders and prohibitions is the religion itself. As messengers the prophets are obliged to convey the Divine rulings, orders and prohibitions that Allah Almighty sent to people to find and decisively adopt the right path. But they do not only content themselves with conveying (dawah), they, at the same time, applied these rules of law for themselves in complete manner. Nevertheless, they have demonstrated in the best way how to apply – as individuals and as society – the manners, named as rules of etiquette among people, in our daily lives.
A lot of purposes have been placed in each line of this great book of universe, each page of which is filled with countless wisdom. “Seeing and being seen, knowing and being known” are first among these goals that need to be understood.
The main wisdom that Allah Almighty asks His servants to recognize and know Him is that they have faith and worship. Because the most precious fruit of the book of universe is the human and the most precious deed of the human is prayer and worship.
“I have only created the jinns and humans so that they worship me!” (Dhariyat, 51:56)
We understand from the verses and the hadiths that our Creator, Allah, wills and orders His conscious creatures to knowingly worship Him in this realm He has created.
Allah, Whose every command is wise and Who shows His compassion for His servants with countless samples, has not left them unattended while asking His servants to know their Lord and worship with faith.
Allah Almighty, the Lord of the Worlds, nurtured His servants with compassion by giving them countless blessings and various sustenance; life and reason being in the first place. As a great, spiritual and worldly blessing, He granted the blessing of prophethood to the world of humanity.
As we mentioned at the beginning, the process of recognizing and knowing the universe and its Creator has continued since Prophet Adam (as). However, it is not possible to be free of doubts without teachers and books.
Pure reason cannot have this adventure alone. Reason is a blessing, but without a divine source, human cannot know who created this realm of existence, what the creator wants from human, and what things he is content with. Reason cannot comprehend the existence, death and beyond. It cannot comprehend where and how the reward and punishment will be executed.
As long as the reason is not enlightened by revelation, it is not capable of finding answers for those unknown matters and many other questions entirely. This inability of the mind to understand and make sense of the invisible requires a trustworthy guide to lead the human. And these guides are only the prophets.
“SimilarlyWe have sent among you a messenger from yourselves reciting to you Our verses and purifying you (from sins) and teaching you the Book and wisdom (the rulings in the Book) and teaching you that which you did not know.” (Baqarah, 2:151)