Prophethood Characteristics

Prophethood (Nubuwwah)

Having accepted monotheism as the first and most fundamental Islamic axiom, here we are to investigate prophethood or prophecy as the second most important one which is based on monotheistic world view. This axiom illustrates God’s mercy by sending prophets to mankind as mediators in order to convey His message and guide people towards what is good.

Mankind’s Need for Messengers

Prophets are chosen messengers of God for humans to guide them through a virtuous life in order to reach eternal bliss. According to this principle, human’s life would be disrupted and he would not know the purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions and directions for his life either in this world or hereafter.

In fact, they are ordinary in the human being nature of needs (from food, sleeping, having children, dying ...etc.) but extraordinary in receiving revelation and telling us the message from God, being accompanied with miracles, infallibility from committing sins or making the slightest mistakes and fighting against idolatry, superstitions, injustice and cruelty. The most prominent characteristic of prophets that distinguishes them from the other people, either ordinary ones or geniuses, is the most supreme revelation and guidance prophets can get from God through the unseen world. However, this kind of revelation does not exclude them from the rest of human beings; it just makes them perfect role models to teach and guide us further to the straight

A Miracle is actually something beyond the reach of people, natural causes and the physical laws we are all familiar with. Although beyond human’s capacity, miracles are possible and not against humans’ reason.

When the miracle becomes clear, there can be no doubt either in the message or the one who brought it forth.

miracle, prophet, revelation, Moses

The Prophets

After accepting the necessity and importance of prophethood through rational thinking, we need to testify to the existence and truth of certain prophets to whom God granted miracles and whose advent the previous prophets prophesied.

All prophets brought and taught people the same message and doctrines. These doctrines were gradually sent to humankind based on their capacity and talent, until the chain of prophethood came to an end by the coming of the last prophet, Muhammad (PBUH). He is our final prophet and no prophet will be born after him. The religion of Islam, as well as all other religious doctrines were completed and sent to people through his miracle, Quran, so there is no need for another messenger from God.

finality, prophethood, Muhammad, messenger

The Finality of Prophethood (Khatm