The Basic Premise of Religion (Part 2/2)
What would happen after this? The Qur’an mentioned each and every phase with great clarity: Makkah would be conquered and the Prophet (sws) would see from his very eyes his people entering the folds of Islam in multitudes:
إِذَا جَاءَ نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا(110: 1-3)
When comes the help of God and that victory [which We have promised you O Prophet!] and you see men embrace the religion of God in multitudes, extol His glory while being thankful to Him and seek His forgiveness. For, indeed, He is ever disposed to mercy. (110:1-3)
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُم فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَى لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ (55:24)
God has promised those of you who professed belief and did good deeds that He would grant them political authority in the land the way He granted political authority to those who were before them and He would strongly establish their religion He chose for them, and replace their fear by peace. They will worship Me and serve none besides Me, and he who again rejects after this will indeed be among the disobedient. (24:55)
These were not the words of a human being which had all the chances of not being materialized. They were the words of God which were spoken by His messenger. Thus they materialized and became part of history – in fact created history which has no parallel in the annals of this world. Consequently, the help of God arrived, the rule of the Prophet (sws) was established in Madinah, the battle of Badr ensued and all hostile and antagonistic enemies of the Prophet (sws) were killed in it. Abu Lahab did not take part in the battle in an effort to save himself from torment. However, just seven days after the battle of Badr, this prediction of the Qur’an was fulfilled word for word and this leader of the Banu Hashim was killed by plague.[9] And such was the condition of his dead body that no one came near it till three days after his death. Ultimately, his body got decomposed and a stinking smell started to come out from it. Eventually, a hole was dug and his corpse was shoved into it through sticks.[10] Makkah was conquered, the custodianship of the Baytullah was transferred to the Muslims, the rituals of the prayer and animal sacrifice were specifically offered for the Almighty only after the Baytullah was cleansed of the idols, all Arabs became Muslims and every one saw with their very eyes people entering the folds of Islam in multitudes as predicted by the Qur’an. Consequently, Islam found a hold in the society, the shari‘ah of God was enforced and thenceforth no other religion held dominance in Arabia. After this, people who still insisted on denial were vehemently told in 10 AH at the occasion of the last hajj that once the sacred months pass they shall have to face punishment and shall be executed where found.[11] After the death of the Prophet (sws), his successors conquered all the countries to whose heads the Prophet (sws) had written letters calling them to Islam. In these letters, he had told them that if they wanted peace they should accept Islam because after the truth has been communicated to them by the Messenger of God, they will have to live in subjugation and that their own independent states could no longer persist. Among these countries were those of Rome and Iran also about whose mutual conflict the Qur’an, at one instance, had predicted that though the Romans have been subdued by the Iranians, soon they will subdue the Iranians and this amazing prediction of the Qur’an was fulfilled word for word as were the other predictions it made.[12]
It is through this worldly judgement which took place in the time of the Prophet (sws) that the basic premise of religion has become so established before people that those who deny it would not be able to present any excuse before the Almighty on the Day of Judgement. The objective of sending prophets is to communicate the truth to people so that they are left with no excuse to deny it. Once this objective was achieved at the global level, the institution of prophethood was discontinued.[13] and the Qur’an was preserved eternally.[14] The Qur’an is an account of this worldly judgement and requires from its believers to profess faith in the following five:
1. Belief in God
2. Belief in the Angels
3. Belief in the Prophets
4. Belief in Divine Books
5. Belief in the Day of Judgement
The Qur’an says:
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ(2: 285)
Our messenger has professed faith in what has been revealed to him by His Lord, and so do those who follow [him]. All these professed faith in God and His angels and His books and His messengers. [They affirm:] “We do not discriminate against any of God’s messengers”, and they said: “We heard and have obeyed.” Lord! We seek Your forgiveness, and [know that] to You shall we return. (2:285)