There was no fragmentation or compartmentalization in the way of the Prophets. They dealt with people and life in a holistic manner and never ignored or neglected any of man’s faculties. They appealed to man’s intellect, reason, spirit and all his outer and inner senses and feelings.
The position of a Prophet in relation to Divine Revelation is like that of a corpse in the hands of one who washes it. God directs and guides him in whatever fashion is required to lead his people. Without this Divine direction, he would not be able to guide anyone. Neglect of the intellect, for instance, would result in a community of poor, docile mystics. Negligence of the heart or spirit, on the other hand, would result in crude rationalism devoid of any spiritual dimension. Man comprises intellect, spirit and body and each must be assigned its due part of the Message. Also, man is an active being. Therefore, he should be led to activity according to the purpose of his life as determined by God and communicated by the Prophets. God did not leave him to become a passive recluse, nor allow him to be an ‘activist’ without reason and spirit, or a ‘rationalist’ without spiritual reflection and activism. It is only when the intellect, spirit and body are harmonized, and man is motivated towards activity in the illuminated way of the Divine Message, that he can become a complete being and attain true humanity. This was the aim of the Prophets, upon them all be peace, and should be the aim of all those who wish to be their followers. The Qur’an declares:
Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my way: I call (people) to God with wisdom and insight, I and those who follow me.’ (Yusuf, 12.108)
The Prophets Asked No Wage From People
A Prophet does not live for himself. Dedicated to his mission wholly, a Prophet is an altruist and lives for the happiness and good of others. His happiness lies in seeing people devoted to God for ultimate salvation but he never expects from people anything in return for what he does; his reward is from none but God alone. This is a very important and indispensable aspect of a Prophet’s communication of the Divine Message, one frequently emphasized in the Qur’an:
O my people! I ask of you no wealth for it, my reward is from none but God. (Hud, 11.29)
The Prophets Left The Results To God
The Prophets were charged with conveying the Divine Message to people. They did their best to this end and patiently faced many misfortunes and even torment. They fulfilled their responsibilities without worrying about the result of their call to God. They knew with all certainty that it is only God who will bring about the desired result.
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