Guidance by the Prophets

Has he not heard of what is preached in the books of Moses and Abraham, who fulfilled his duty: that no soul shall bear another’s burden and that each man shall be judged by his own labours; that his labours shall be scrutinized and that he shall be justly requited for them; that all things shall in the end return to God?

(The Quran 35:35-43)

Along with creating man, God started a chain of prophethood for human guidance. In every age and in every nation, prophets have come and conveyed the message of God to men. While provision for the sustenance of life remained constantly available in this world, the principles of how to lead this life were sent to man by God again and again as the occasion, demanded. Each prophet was truly a representative of God. But, with the passage of time, the books brought by the messengers were altered and marred by the interpolations of their followers. Thus the original divine guidance became veiled by these human additions. Ultimately God sent the Arab Prophet with the Quran. And God Himself undertook the responsibility of preserving the Quran in toto so that it might remain a source of authentic guidance for mankind for all time to come.

The essence of the reality revealed by God through the Prophet is that everyone will necessarily be rewarded for his actions in this world. None can escape the consequences of his actions, nor can anyone save another. Those who fail to take heed of the warnings by the Prophet are the most foolish in this world.

So far as man’s relation to God is concerned, everyone is responsible for his own actions. None can share in the consequences of another’s deeds. Nor will anyone reap a harvest in the next world other than what he has sown here in this world.