A Few Pages From History
Modern science has unfolded nature and revealed the
divine signs which are called ‘ayaat’ in the Quran (41:53).
According to the Creator’s idea of creation, the journey of human history can be divided into a few major periods. These periods or historical stages are as follows:
The first stage is the age of proclamations through the prophets. This age extends from Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad. Prophets came during this period, but their mission was confined to the stage of pronouncement, it did not reach the stage of revolution.
The second stage begins with Prophet Ishmael, son of Abraham. In this period, a community (ummah) was formed which could become the bearer of the divine Book.
The most important thing that happened after the creation of this community was the preservation of the Quran as the authentic text of God’s guidance.
Freedom of thought was the most essential component of the new era which came into existence through the companions of Prophet Muhammad. It began in the seventh century AD and thousands of years later, it reached the peak in the form of Western civilization.
Western civilization played a supportive role in this historical process. The status of this civilization is therefore that of a secular supporter in this historical journey.
The role of science is that of a supporting element in this historical journey in the modern age. Modern science has unfolded nature and revealed the divine signs which are called ‘ayaat’ in the Quran (41:53).
The contemporary age is called the age of communication. For the first time in human history modern communication has made global dawah possible.
The people who would avail of this opportunity have been called the brothers of the Prophet (Ikhwan-e-Rasool) in a Hadith (Sahih Muslim, hadith 249). The title, the brothers of the Prophet, does not refer to any kind of superiority; rather it refers to a distinctive role which would be played by them. The companions of the Prophet made use of the possibilities of their time in the seventh century for the propagation of the world of God. Whereas the Ikhwan-e-Rasool are those who would make the best use of the possibilities available in the 21st century for the dissemination of the word of God.
