Human destiny, by Islamic lights, is a matter of man having been placed on this earth by God, so that he may be put to the test—the test being of his capacity to make correct moral choices. It is for this purpose that man has been given complete freedom, for without such freedom, the divine test would have no meaning and no validity.

It is required of man that he should lead his life on earth following a regimen of strict self-discipline. Wherein should he find the guiding principles for such a course? The answer, according to Islam, is in prophethood. Throughout the history of mankind, God appointed certain human beings—prophets—who would be the recipients and conveyors of His guidance as sent through His angels. The last in the series was the Prophet Muhammad.

When God created human beings, He also arranged for a series of prophets for their guidance. In every age and in every nation God has sent prophets so that they may convey God’s messages to people. So far as material resources were concerned, a person could find these on his own, but so far as life’s principles were concerned, God continued to send prophets for the purpose of conveying them to mankind.

Every prophet was an equally true representative. But, with the passage of time, the books brought by the previous prophets were either forgotten by their followers or had interpolations made in them by human beings. Ultimately, God sent the Final Prophet with the Quran, and God took it upon Himself to preserve this guidebook in its totality so that it might be a source of authentic guidance for people in every age.

The sum and substance of the reality revealed by Almighty God through His prophets is that every person has to receive whatever reward befits his deeds. Nobody can save himself from the fate resulting from his deeds and nobody other than himself can be his saviour. There are none more foolish in this world of God than those who are not affected by this prophetic warning.

So far as a person’s affairs in relation to God are concerned, everyone is responsible for his own deeds. No one can share in the consequences of the actions of others, nor can anyone be of help in any way to others. In the world of God, everyone will be rewarded according to what he has done for himself. As he sows, so shall he reap. No one’s efforts or deeds shall be of any benefit to others.

Source: Principles of Islam