SELECTING A MESSENGER

As we stated earlier, this type of society cannot recognize Allah or see the truth unaided. But in His merciful compassion, Allah sends envoys to warn them about their mistakes and to teach them the truth about Himself, the Hereafter, and the meaning of life. In the Qur'an, these envoys are called "messengers"(sing.: rasul; pl. rusul [one who is sent]). The Qur'an tells us that a messenger has been sent to every society:

We sent a messenger to every people, saying: "Worship Allah and keep clear of all false deities." Among them were some whom Allah guided; others received the misguidance they deserved. Travel throughout the land and see the final fate of the unbelievers. (Surat an-Nahl, 36)

A messenger always belongs to a society that does not know Allah, but differs markedly from the other inhabitants. For example, he is not affected by the general moral degeneration, since he has a subtle conscience and is honest and wise. At a certain time in his life, he begins his duty as a messenger as Allah directs. Sometimes Allah puts it into his heart something that enables him to know of His existence and to realize how depraved his society is and sometimes this fact is revealed to him through revelation. This is what happened to Ibrahim (as):

Remember when Ibrahim said to his father Azar: "Do you take idols as deities? I see that you and your people are clearly misguided." Because of that, We showed Ibrahim the dominions of the heavens and Earth so that he might be one of the people of certainty. When night covered him, he saw a star and said: "This is my Lord." Then when it set, he said: "I do not love what sets." Then when he saw the moon come up, he said: "This is my Lord." Then when it set, he said: "If my Lord does not guide me, I will be one of the misguided people." Then when he saw the sun come up, he said, "This is my Lord. This is greater." Then when it set, he said: "My people, I am free of what you associate with Allah. I have turned my face to Him Who brought the heavens and Earth into being, a pure natural believer. I am not one of the idolaters." His people argued with him. He said: "Are you arguing with me about Allah when He has guided me? I have no fear of any partner you ascribe to Him, unless my Lord should will such a thing to happen. My Lord encompasses all things in His knowledge, so will you not pay heed?" (Surat al-An'am, 74-80)

This is the argument We gave to Ibrahim against his people. We raise in rank anyone We will. Your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing. (Surat al-An'am, 83)

The Qur'an tells us that Allah showed Ibrahim (as) all the proofs for His existence. This shows us that Allah's inspiration made Ibrahim (as) aware of his society's depravity and worship of other deities besides Allah. He was able to understand Allah's existence clearly only because Allah chose him.

So, being chosen and instructed by Allah is common to all messengers. Allah reveals this truth to Musa (as):

Has the story of Musa not reached you? When he saw a fire and said to his family, "Wait here. I can make out a fire. Maybe I will bring you a brand from it or will find guidance there." When he reached it, a voice called out: "Musa! I am your Lord. Take off your sandals, for you are in the holy valley of Tuwa. I have chosen you, so listen well to what is revealed. I am Allah. There is no deity but Me, so worship Me and perform prayer in order to remember Me. The Hour is coming, but I have concealed it so that every self can be repaid for its efforts. Do not let those who have no faith in it and follow their whims and desires debar you from it, or you will be destroyed." (Surah Ta Ha, 9-16)

In short, a messenger is an individual whom Allah has selected, one who is different from his compatriots, and one who has (with Allah's help) reached an understanding on his own of Allah's existence and that of the Hereafter. But this is only the first stage of his mission. After this, it becomes his responsibility to teach his compatriots about the great truth he has come to understand and to invite them to follow His way:

O messenger, transmit what has been sent down to you from your Lord. If you do not do it, you will not have transmitted His Message... (Surat al-Ma'ida, 67)

This is a very difficult task, because often just a few people come to believe in the messenger; the rest become hostile to him.

Those Who Believe in the Messenger

When we look at the Qur'an's accounts of the messengers, we see that very few people in a society that does not know Allah listen to the messenger and accept what he says. This is because he calls people to renounce many of their values, reject their false deities, and serve only Allah. Most people in such a society cannot grasp these new ideas, because they are diametrically opposed to their traditional belief systems. In addition, this new religion clashes with their own interests and so, naturally, they refuse to accept it. For this reason, only a few of them who have the intelligence to transcend their society's strong allures and the will to practice what they have learned will believe in and follow the messengers. For this reason, the Qur'an calls them "believers" (mu'minun).

Believers are very special individuals. Their attitudes toward the world and their reactions to events are very different from that of their contemporaries. They do not direct their lives according to their society's guidelines; rather, they take their cue from Allah's revelation and His messenger's teachings and behavior. By doing so, they acquire an outstanding moral character that stands in stark contrast to that of the people around them. They are respectful of, as well as loving and loyal to, the messenger. The Qur'an relates in detail their moral qualities, attachment to Allah, and behavior toward the messengers.

The Qur'an reveals another characteristic belonging to this group of people in its account of Musa (as) and the Companions of the Cave:

No one believed in Musa except for some scions of his people, out of fear that Pharaoh and the elders would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. He was one of the profligate. (Surah Yunus, 83)

Here, Allah reveals that those who followed Musa (as) were young. This is because young people are less likely to be attracted by the allures of their society than older individuals. Thus, they are more likely to disavow their non-Qur'anic system and accept the truth. The believers mentioned in Surat al-Kahf, also have the same quality. Here are the relevant verses:

We will relate their story to you with truth. They were young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance. We fortified their hearts when they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and Earth, and We will not call on any deity apart from Him. We would, in that case, have uttered an abomination. Our people have taken deities apart from Him. Why do they not produce a clear authority concerning them? Who could do greater wrong than someone who invents a lie against Allah?" (Surat al-Kahf, 13-15)

But as we explained earlier, those who understand that their society has gone astray and seek to rectify this by putting themselves under the messenger's guidance are few in number.

As we saw above in the verses of Surat al-An'am dealing with Ibrahim (as), many who do not believe in Allah's messenger respond to him with hostility. The wealthy, the powerful, and those who are opposed to any change in the established order are particularly hostile. It is to these arrogant people who persist in their rejection of Him that Allah sends messengers. Allah said to Musa (as):

Go to Pharaoh. He has overstepped the bounds. (Surah Ta Ha, 24)

The Leaders of Ignorant Society

In a society of believers, people do not judge others on the basis of family connections, physical beauty, or wealth, and the citizens are loved and respected because of their superior moral character. This society appreciates, loves, and respects those of its people who have superior moral qualities, such as godliness, honesty, trustworthiness, mercy, respect and love for others, and self-sacrifice. As these can be achieved only by submitting to Allah, those entrusted with power and authority in a believing society possess these qualities to the highest degree.

However, the situation in a society that does not know Allah is just the reverse: the moral values listed above have little importance, and the people know nothing of the Qur'an's moral teachings and so exaggerate the importance of material things. For example, wealth is the highest value, for this is what makes a person important. In other words, money is their greatest idol. For this reason, the people of such a society believe that "everyone has his or her price."

Therefore, the rich can reach the highest levels by "buying" influential or powerful people. When money is the most valuable thing, people who have it enjoy a strange kind of respect and admiration that gradually helps them to acquire the most power and authority. They form their society's various elites and thus devise its norms and expectations. Most people accept their decisions and admire their lifestyles, behaviors, and moral character. In other words, they become "fashionable."

The Qur'an often mentions the leaders of such societies. They are called "the ruling circle of those who did not believe" and "the affluent people." They vigorously oppose the messenger's message, urge others not to listen to him, and try to incite hostility toward him. The Qur'an describes this unchanging rule:

We never sent a warner into any city without the affluent people in it saying: "We reject what you have been sent with." They also said: "We have more wealth and children. We are not going to be punished." (Surah Saba', 34-35)