THE RATIONAL REASONS FOR THE NECESSITY OF PROPHETS (AS)

[Taqavi]

What are the rational reasons for the necessity of prophets (AS)?

 

According to scholars, several rational arguments have been put forth for the necessity of the existence of prophets. Some of these will be discussed:

Guidance on the Path to Perfection:

Human beings seek perfection, and to achieve this perfection, they need guidance. While humans can traverse part of this path and acquire knowledge through reason and senses, for a deeper understanding and for their spiritual needs, they require guidance beyond mere intellect. This guidance is provided through revelation and prophets.[1]

Guiding Humanity to the Purpose of Creation:

The purpose and wisdom behind creation are the knowledge and worship of Allah: "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." [2] This is contingent upon designating an intermediary between the creation and the Creator to teach them the way of worship and servitude to Allah. This cannot happen without such an intermediary, because Allah is in ultimate perfection and humanity is in ultimate imperfection. Allah Himself alludes to this when He states: "And it is not for any human that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil or by sending a messenger to reveal by His permission what He wills. Indeed, He is All-High, All-Wise." [3] Such an intermediary must necessarily be chosen individuals from Allah who are of human kind but are at the pinnacle of servitude to Allah. In the Quran, Allah states through the noble Prophet (SAW): "Say: 'I am only a human being like yourselves.'"[4]-[5]

Guiding Humanity to Divine Laws:

Human society requires laws for proper functioning. An ideal legislator must possess:

1. The legislator's knowledge of humanity: The first and most important step in enacting laws is for the legislator to be familiar with the human body and soul, its instincts and innate dispositions, and what is beneficial or harmful for these aspects. The greater this understanding, the more successful the resulting law will be in addressing problems and guiding humanity to the intended happiness of its creation.

2. The legislator's disinterest in the law: The necessity of this condition is obvious. If the legislator or their associates benefit from the law being enacted, then that law will be enacted in the interest of the legislator, not the interest of society. The inevitable result will be injustice and oppression towards society.

These conditions are found only in Almighty Allah, and prophets act as intermediaries who convey divine laws to humanity to establish a just and orderly society. [6]

Reforming Human Society from Errors and Deviations:

Among the objectives of sending prophets is to realize the mission of reform. Social corruptions such as injustice, indecency, impurities, and the like might be such that their removal and confrontation require a divine messenger who can invite people towards reform and the establishment of justice, and defend the oppressed and deprived. Merely sending down a book, teaching rulings, educating, and purifying people without striving and confronting social corruptions is not sufficient to repel and eliminate them. Some evil and corrupt individuals do not turn to the truth and commit oppression and corruption. In such cases, what is necessary is the sending of divine men or messengers to carry out reforms, and this is one of the most important objectives. [7]

Guiding the Noblest of Creatures:

Humanity is the noblest of creatures and was not created in vain or idly. Rather, there is no doubt that humans are obliged to perform duties and observe commands and prohibitions. It is incumbent upon Allah to communicate these duties to humans and make them aware, because no intellect, independently and without the mediation of revelation, is capable of comprehending and discerning these duties. On the other hand, not all obligated individuals are capable of receiving and apprehending revelation from Allah. Therefore, it is necessary for Allah to send individuals to humanity to convey these duties to them. [8]

Guiding Humanity to Self-Purification and Edification:

Undoubtedly, the purpose of sending prophets is not merely teaching; rather, one of the aims of the prophets is purification. Allah chooses from among His servants individuals who are righteous, perfect, and distinguished in every respect, so much so that they serve as role models among people and lead people towards happiness and perfection through their actions and conduct. It is clear that this purpose and goal would not have been achieved merely by the descent of heavenly books or by their descent upon non-prophets, for example, upon angels or individuals of a non-human species. This is because, in such a case, people would not have seen a role model among themselves to elevate themselves towards that goal, or they might have thought that purity and purification were exclusive to angels and that they themselves were incapable of purifying themselves. [9]

Conclusion:

Based on the points discussed, it becomes clear that reason discerns several compelling arguments for the necessity of prophets among human beings. These reasons include humanity's need for a guide for self-purification and edification, a guide for humanity to reach the pinnacle of perfection, a guide to place human beings on the path to the purpose of creation, a guide for reforming human society from errors and deviations, and a guide for familiarizing human beings with divine laws, and so on.

 

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[1] . Āmūzish-e Aqā'id, Misbah Yazdi, Mohammad Taghi, Vol: 1, pp: 177-178; Bidāyat al-Ma'ārif al-Ilāhiyyah fī Sharḥ 'Aqā'id al-Imāmiyyah, Al-Sayyid Mohsen al-Kharrazi, Vol: 1, p: 216.

[2] . Dhāriyāt/56: «و ما خلقتُ الجنّ و الأنس الا لیعبدونَ»

[3] . Shūrā/51: «وما کانَ بشرٍ أنْ یکلّمه اللهُ الا وحیاً او مِن وَرایء حجابٍ او یرسلَ رسولاً فیوحی باذنهِ ما یشاءُ انّه علی حکیم»

[4] . Kahf/110: «قال: انّما أنا بشر مثلکم»

[5] . Ḥaqq al-Yaqīn fī Ma'rifat Uṣūl al-Dīn, Shobbar, Sayyid Abdullah, p: 121; Anīs al-Muwahhidīn, Naraqi, Mehdi, p: 86, corrected by Ayatollah Qazi Tabataba'i.

[6] . Muḥāḍarāt fī al-Ilāhiyyāt, Al-Subhani, Al-Shaykh Ja'far, Vol: 1, p: 249.

[7] . Bidāyat al-Ma'ārif al-Ilāhiyyah fī Sharḥ 'Aqā'id al-Imāmiyyah, Al-Sayyid Mohsen al-Kharrazi, Vol: 1, p: 220.

[8] . Anīs al-Muwahhidīn, Naraqi, Mehdi, p: 86, corrected by Ayatollah Qazi Tabataba'i.

[9] . Bidāyat al-Ma'ārif al-Ilāhiyyah fī Sharḥ 'Aqā'id al-Imāmiyyah, Al-Sayyid Mohsen al-Kharrazi, Vol: 1, p: 216.