Today we will discuss QURAN: GOSPEL OF ONE GOD AND MANY PROPHETS
QURAN: GOSPEL OF ONE GOD AND MANY PROPHETS
While describing the creation of mankind Quran tells us that on the eve of their expulsion from paradise, Adam and Eve were informed by God that on earth will be their dwelling place and means of livelihood for a time and their progeny shall receive divine guidance: ‘We said: “Get you down all from here; and if as is sure there comes to you guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance on them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve” (2.38)
According to a prophetic tradition, more than 1.24000 Prophets were sent during various times to teach book and wisdom to various people inhabiting various parts of the earth. Quran mentions only twenty-two Prophets by name and says that ‘We did send apostles before you: of them there are some whose story We have related to you and some whose story. We have not related to you (40.78) But all people received their share of divine guidance through apostles: ‘For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command) “Serve God and eschew Evil” (16.36) and “there never was a people without a Warner having lived among them” (35.24)
Quran says that all Prophets were tasked with the same mission of proclaiming the divine message: ‘They said: Our Lord does know that we have been sent on a mission to you, and our duty is only to proclaim the clear Message (36.16-17) The Prophets were told categorically that it is no part of their duty to force people into submission: ‘If it had been the Lord’s Will they would all have believed all who are on earth! Will you then compel mankind against their will to believe? (10.99)
Since the duty of the Prophets was to teach wisdom and give glad tidings to the righteous and warn the evil-doer, they were obliged to communicate in the language of the people to whom they were sent Quran says: ‘We sent not a Messenger except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people in order to make (things) clear to them (14.4)
But the diversity of language and multiplicity of the Prophets did not mean that their missions were different, rather they all preached the same message of unity and God consciousness: The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah, which We have sent by inspiration to you, and that which We enjoined on Abraham Moses and Jesus: Namely, that you should remain steadfast in Religion and make no divisions therein’ (42 13).
Further, Quran makes it mandatory for all the believers to affirm that We believe in God and the revelation given to us and to Abraham, ISMAIL, Isaac Jacob and the Tribes and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord and we make no difference between one and another of them and to Him we have submitted’ (2 136) It is obvious that the affirmation of belief relates both to the named and unnamed Prophets.
Quran holds any attempt to make distinction among Prophets as an act of disbelief. It says:
Those who deny God and his Apostles and wish to separate God from His Apostles saying: ‘We believe in some but reject others and (those who) wish to take a course midway, they are in truth unbelievers’ (4.150-151)
These are only a few of the numerous verses showing that Quran stands for universal acceptance of the messengers of Truth and disproves any exclusive approach in religion.
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