Guest Author - Serkan Tufan

Being the final revelation from God, Quran's every word and letter is in the form of pure revelation from Allah with Prophet Muhammad being only receiver, announcer, and teacher of the Quran for the humanity. Millions of Quran copies around the world is the perfect witness to this with being exactly the same, authentic scripture. In this way, Quran is the only and absolute resource where we can learn the real revelations of God, which also shed light onto the earlier Prophets, nations, and books.

Reading the Bible and the Old Testament, I know that these early scriptures ,which are altered by later followers, have a totally different approach to Prophethood than Quran. The Prophets are depicted as sinful and regular human beings. Here I will bring Islam knowledge about Prophets and what a high level of humanity they occupy.

In Islam, Prophets are sent to humanity to call people to the truth of the existence of one God, than following His guide to lead the right path to the hereafter. Quran explains:

"God was gracious to the bleievers when He raised up among them a Messenger from themselves who recites to them the verses (of His Book) and shows them His signs (in their selves and in the universe), purifies them (of their sins and deviations), and instructs them in the Book and the Wisdom. They were evidently in manifest misguidance before. (Chapter Ali-Imran, (Imran's family) Verse: 164)

Another reason for Prophets is that Prophets remind us of our responsbility to God:

"I have not created jinn and humanity except to serve me (Chapter: Adh-Dhariyat ( The Winnowing Winds ), Verse: 56)"

"We never sent a Messenger before you except that we revealed to him: "There is no god but I, so serve me" (Chapter 21: Al-Anbiya ( The Prophets ), Verse: 25)

A third reason is to establish law and order in the universe:

"45. O Prophet! Truly We have sent thee as a Witness, a Bearer of Glad Tidings, and Warner,-

46. And as one who invites to Allah's (Grace) by His leave, and as a Lamp spreading Light. " (Chapter 33: Al-Ahzab ( The Combined Forces ), Verses: 45-46)

"They deliver the Messages of God and fear Him, and do not fear anyone except God (Chapter 33: Al-Ahzab ( The Combined Forces ), Verse: 39)"

Another reason is to be models for humanity:

" These are they whom God has guided, so follow their guidance." (Chapter 6: En'am, Verse: 90)

A fifth reason is to create a balance between worldly life and hereafter:
"Seek the Last Abode amidst that which God has given you, and do not forget your portion of the present world" (Chapter 28: Al-Qasas ( The Stories ), Verse: 77)

Another reason for Prophethood is that they are God's witnesses in this world:
"Messenhers bearing good tidings and warning, so that humanity might have no argument against God" chapter: An-Nisa ( Women ), Verse:165)

"Does humanity think it will be left aimless?" (Chapter 75: Al-Qiyama ( The Rising of The Dead ) , Verse: 36.

These are some of the reasons why God sent Prophets, in the next article, we will talk about the characteristics of Prophets and why they are actually very different than how they are described in Old Testament.