(This article first appeared in November 1989 Submission Perspective)
By definition, the hypocrites say with their lips that they are believers. However, their actions reflect their disbelief. To utter what is not in one’s heart is a most despised matter in the sight of God (61:3). One of their most common utterances is: “We do not need a messenger.
We can worship God alone, and follow the Quran alone, without any need for a messenger from God.” They thus rebel against God’s system. Sending messengers is God’s system for a good number of reasons.
God sends His messengers to rescue those who believe and work righteousness, as we see in 65:11: “a messenger who recites God’s revelations, in order to lead those who believe and lead a righteous life from the darkness to the light.”
[65:11] a messenger* who recites to you GOD’s revelations, clearly, to lead those who believe and work righteousness out of the darkness into the light. Anyone who believes in GOD and leads a righteous life, He will admit him into gardens with flowing streams; they abide therein forever. GOD will generously reward him.
*65:10-11 The “Messenger” here is clearly the Quran. Verse 10 talks about “sending down a message,” and this points to the Quran as the messenger in 65:11 (Appendix 20).
Note that this verse talks about “those who believe and lead a righteous life.” They are in darkness, until God’s messenger comes and “leads them out of darkness.” Note also the word “recites.” The book itself, the Quran, cannot “recite” God’s revelations. While the messenger is alive, the book comes to life and leads the believers out of darkness.
The Quran, without the Messenger, Misleads the Wicked
See 2:26, 14:27, 17:41, 17:82. In 3:7, we see that “those well founded in knowledge are needed to explain certain aspects of the Quran.
[2:26] GOD does not shy away from citing any kind of allegory,* from the tiny mosquito and greater. As for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. As for those who disbelieve, they say, “What did GOD mean by such an allegory?” He misleads many thereby, and guides many thereby. But He never misleads thereby except the wicked,
*2:26 See Appendix 5 for further discussion of Heaven and Hell.
[14:27] GOD strengthens those who believe with the proven word, in this life and in the Hereafter. And GOD sends the transgressors astray. Everything is in accordance with GOD’s will.
[17:41] We have cited in this Quran (all kinds of examples), that they may take heed. But it only augments their aversion.
Healing and Mercy
[17:82] We send down in the Quran healing and mercy for the believers. At the same time, it only increases the wickedness of the transgressors.
[3:7] He sent down to you this scripture, containing straightforward verses – which constitute the essence of the scripture – as well as multiple-meaning or allegorical verses. Those who harbor doubts in their hearts will pursue the multiple-meaning verses to create confusion, and to extricate a certain meaning. None knows the true meaning thereof except GOD and those well founded in knowledge. They say, “We believe in this – all of it comes from our Lord.” Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.
The messenger who receives new information and revelations from God is certainly “well founded in knowledge.” otherwise, why didn’t God just send a physical book down from the sky, without anymessengers? Obviously, those who say that they do not need God’s messenger; that they can make it to Heaven on their own, blaspheme against God. For they defy God’s system.
God’s system is very clearly stated in 18:17: “Whomever God wills to send astray, you will not find for him a guiding teacher.” What makes this system particularly relevant to our generation is that the root word for the “guiding teacher” is “Rashada.”
God is telling us that His system calls for guiding the believers through a “guiding teacher.” So what do the hypocrites say? They rebel against God’s system, and reject God’s appointed teacher. “We can make it on our own,” they think.
Once again, here is God’s system as stated in [18:17]: Whomever God wills to send astray, you will not find for him a guiding teacher. Only the believers can enjoy and uphold God’s system (see 9:24).
[9:24] Proclaim: “If your parents, your children, your siblings, your spouses, your family, the money you have earned, a business you worry about, and the homes you cherish are more beloved to you than GOD and His messenger,** and the striving in His cause, then just wait until GOD brings His judgment.” GOD does not guide the wicked people.
*9:24 Since the odds are overwhelming against any human being to actually believe and devote the worship to God alone (12:103, 106), it is virtually impossible to see a whole family believe. Thus, most believers have been faced with the choice: “Either me or God and His messenger.” This choice is consistently stated by spouses of the believers, or their parents, their children, etc. Consistently, the believers made the right choice. This is a mandatory test for all believers (29:2).
**9:24 The Quranic, mathematical evidence points specifically at God’s Messenger of the Covenant. By adding the gematrical value of “Rashad” (505), plus the value of “Khalifa” (725), plus the verse number (24), we get 505+725+24=1254=19×66.