by A. Abdul Aziz (Source: Al Hakam, London)

The Torah prophecy is as follows: See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” (Malachi, 4: 5)

Now, due to this prophecy, one reason the Jews at the time of Hazrat Isarejected the claim of Jesus as their messiah, was because Elijah was required to descend amongst them. However, this did not happen in a physical sense. Elijah was not to be seen descending from the skies, and thus Jesuswas declared a false prophet. In response to the claims of the Jewish scholars, Jesus, peace be on him replied: 

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” (Matthew 11: 12-15)

It is further stated: 

And they asked him, ‘Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?’”

Jesus replied, ‘To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him.’” (Mark, 9: 11-15)

Now, the Jews did not accept this. They were adamant about the physical re-appearance of Elijah. Then, it is the Holy Quran that dispels any doubts and testifies to the truth of Jesus, peace be on him, as Allah says: 

And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the chamber: ‘Allah gives thee glad tidings of Yahya, who shall testify to the truth of a word from Allah — noble and chaste and a Prophet, from among the righteous.’” (Surah aal-e-Imran, Ch.3: V.40)

This is just one example demonstrating that these religions represent a continuation of one another. It follows logically that as people, societal norms, politics, global dynamics, and traditions evolve, so too must the Word of God be renewed. Just as institutions, whether human or animal, eventually face change or evolution, so does religion. Over time, scholars, teachers, and external forces contribute to these changes, sometimes distorting a religion from its original form.

Given this, why would an All-loving, Merciful, and Gracious God cease sending prophets? A true prophet would not reject the teachings of earlier religions but would instead seek to correct the errors and distortions that have naturally occurred over time, upholding the message of the prophets who preceded them. Or he would bring new law if the previous law have been ended by Allah.

Moreover, it’s important to recognize that there were likely tribes and isolated native societies with their own prophets, unrelated to the Abrahamic lineage. As the Quran states: Every tribe and community was sent a Warner” (Surah Al-Fatir, Ch.35: V.25). These communities would have been taught the belief in one God, albeit with differing methods, laws and practices.

No personal gain

In prophethood, there will be an absence of personal gain. The Holy Quran explicitly repeats this theme, and in relation to Hazrat Nuh, peace be on him (Noah), Hud, Salih, Lut (Lot), and Shu’aib(peace be on all of them), it mentions their saying: 

‘And I ask of you no reward for it. My reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.” (Surah ash-Shu‘ara’, Ch.26: V.110)

These verses address objections from those who claim that prophets seek to impose leadership upon their people. They clarify that prophets are not motivated by selfish desires, but instead, they stand as witnesses before God for their honesty and sincerity. (The Five Volume Commentary [2018], Vol. 4, p. 2620).

When we reflect on the lives of prophets, particularly the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, it becomes strikingly evident that they had no desire for power. They actively refused offers of authority and leadership. Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) demonstrated through his actions, simplicity, and way of life that his intentions were not for power:

Hazrat Aisha (r.a.) narrated:

The Prophet’s household would go for days without cooking food, and they survived on dates and water. Occasionally, they would receive a small amount of milk as a gift.” (Sahih Muslim, Book 42, Hadith 7105)

Hazrat Abu Huraira (ra,) (one of the Companion) narrated: The Prophet used to distribute any charity or wealth that came to him among the people and kept nothing for himself. If he received food, he would eat it and share it with others, and if he received anything material, he would give it to those in need.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book 24, Hadith 512)

It becomes evident that selflessness and the absence of personal gain are fundamental qualities of prophets. In the case of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he not only refrained from personal gain but also shared all his wealth, food, and possessions with those in need.

Facing opposition

After claiming prophethood, each prophet will face retaliation and opposition. One example of this is from the life of Hazrat Musa (Moses), peace be on him, who was raised under the household of the Pharaoh, and was then forced to flee Egypt and was called a liar by Pharoah:

And We did send Moses, with Our Signs and manifest authority, Unto Pharaoh and Haman and Korah; but they said, ‘(He is) a magician and an impostor.’” (Surah al-Mu’min, Ch.40: V.24-25)

The same is true for every prophet. Each prophet has faced such opposition who will be willing to persecute them and their people for their beliefs. Allah says: 

Even so there came no Messenger to those before them, but they said, ‘A sorcerer, or a madman!’” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, Ch.51: V.53)

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) faced the most fierce and severe opposition against enemies of Islam and his life history is proof of this. (continued)