THE MISSION OF ALL THE PROPHETS

In actual fact, the mission of all the prophets, right from Adam to Christ (May peace be upon them all), was one and the same—of establishing the ideology of monotheism in the world, so that man might worship one God alone. As we know, there came a large number of prophets in ancient times, but the message of monotheism remained at the initial stage; it could not culminate in a revolution. This state continued up till the time of Christ, the last but one Prophet (May peace be upon him). The reason being that in ancient times, the system of monarchy was entrenched throughout the world. The kings, in order to secure their political interests, adopted the course of religious persecution. These kings suppressed all religious movements, which were different from the state religion. They would nip all apostasy in the bud, since they saw religion as a matter of affirming one’s loyalty to the state. If a person adhered to a religion other than the state religion, he was regarded as a rebel.

The Prophet Isa# (May peace be upon him) was the last link in the chain of these persecutions faced by the preachers of monotheism. Then God decreed the abolition of this coercive political system, even if it entailed the use of force in order that the age of religious persecution might be brought to an end forever and replaced by the age of religious freedom. This divine plan was brought to completion through the Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him) and his companions. This is the command given in the Qur’an:

“And fight with them on until there is no more persecution and oppression, And religion becomes God’s in its entirety, But if they cease, surely God does see all that they do.” (8:39)